Immortal Refiner

Translator: AnubisTL

In the early autumn of the fourth year of the Kaiyuan era, over ten thousand cavalrymen thundered into the Small Jade Ridge.

Yet even this vast force stirred little commotion as it entered this treacherous mountain range that stretched east to west, spanning several provinces.

To everyone's surprise, for the next half month, these ten thousand cavalrymen didn't march south. Instead, they swept through the deep forests and ancient woods.

Outsiders couldn't guess what they were searching for, making their actions all the more mysterious.

As time passed and their supplies dwindled, the people of the Wu Dynasty, still recovering from recent wars, grew increasingly desperate.

Rebellious refugees, raising their banners in defiance, once again surged across the provinces.

The newly established Grassland Dynasty teetered on the brink of collapse.

To ensure the smooth celebration of the Holy Monarch's fiftieth birthday, various Grassland tribes dispatched their own cavalry to suppress the rebellious refugees.

At this critical juncture, Li Qing's Blacksmith Shop received an unexpected visitor.

The newcomer was a slender young man with a sharp, knife-like face.

"Master Li!"

Hearing the voice, Li Qing, who was working by the forge, looked up at the figure standing before his shop.

"Hehe, I can't take that 'Master Li' title anymore," Li Qing said with a playful smirk.

The young man at the door, though still young in appearance, had already begun to show signs of premature aging, with streaks of white at his temples.

This was Qi Kang, who had cultivated the Life Sapping Art!

"Master, you jest. If it weren't for you back then, I would likely have perished among the refugees outside Wangyuan City. I will never forget your great kindness!"

As he spoke, Qi Kang's eyes reddened slightly. Without hesitation, he knelt down and kowtowed respectfully to Li Qing.

Looking at the figure kneeling before him, Li Qing found it hard to reconcile the image of the gaunt, soot-covered refugee boy from his memory with the man before him.

He sighed and said, "Get up. I did the same thing to enter Wangyuan City back then."

"Now that you're the infamous Chaos-Seeking Demon Lord, I can't bear your kneeling."

Li Qing spoke as he forged a piece of Ink Gold in the furnace.

After a long moment, Qi Kang finally stood up. He said, "Master, I promised Maple Guard that we would storm the Imperial Palace together on the Sage Ruler's fiftieth birthday."

"Why? Haven't you always despised the Maple Country court?"

The Three Great Martial Halls of Shengtian had once exploited the common people by extorting protection money, infuriating Qi Kang to the point where he wanted to tear the Martial Hall Masters limb from limb.

Thinking of this, Li Qing couldn't help but chuckle wryly.

"I do despise the Maple Country court, but it's clear the common people live even harder lives under the Wu Dynasty's rule. If sacrificing my wretched life can make their lives even slightly better, it's worth it. I don't have many years left anyway. Even if I die, I'll have lived a full life. I've made a name for myself in the Jianghu, slain villains, and now I'm about to storm the Imperial Palace and kill the emperor. How exhilarating!"

As he spoke, Qi Kang grinned, his few strands of silver hair fluttering in the wind.

At that moment, the image of the young man from Li Qing's memories finally merged with the Chaos-Seeking Demon Lord before him.

Both shared the same concern for their nation and people, the same disillusionment with the world, and the same willingness to sacrifice everything for their ideals.

He was a truly great and noble person, one Li Qing felt unworthy to compare himself to.

"Mm, that's good," Li Qing said calmly, using fire tongs to flip the Ink Gold in the stove.

Qi Kang knew his master's temperament intimately—calm as still water, forever unruffled. He wasn't surprised in the least.

"Master, Brother Ning sent word from the Imperial Palace!"

"The mysterious Immortal Master behind Holy Monarch Tuwa Ha'er has vanished. The Holy Monarch is now sweeping through Small Jade Ridge, likely searching for new Immortal Cultivators."

"Those mysterious Spirit Talismans were exchanged for Peerless Divine Weapons and various rare minerals from the Jianghu by that mysterious Immortal Cultivator."

These few sentences finally stirred a considerable ripple in Li Qing's heart.

Li Qing raised his head and asked, "Are there Immortal Cultivators in Small Jade Ridge?"

"I'm not sure, but it's highly likely!" Qi Kang replied.

Li Qing narrowed his eyes, thinking, No wonder the Sage Ruler went to such great lengths to bring over ten thousand cavalry into Small Jade Ridge. Instead of marching south to war, he's been wandering aimlessly through these deep mountains and forests all day. What could he possibly be up to?

So it was to search for this so-called Immortal Cultivation World!

That made perfect sense. Without the backing of Immortal Cultivators and the source of Spirit Talismans, the throne would inevitably become unstable. That's why he was so eager to send troops into the mountains.

"Ah, so that's it," Li Qing murmured.

With that, Qi Kang pulled out a simple, ancient book from his robes. The title read: Life Sapping Art.

"Master, this is the Life Sapping Art, the Martial Art once practiced by the Martial Path master Lin Yi."

"If you get the chance, could you help me return it to the tomb mansion in Small Jade Ridge?"

Li Qing paused, then accepted the ancient book. He never expected this incredibly sinister cultivation manual to fall into his hands in such a way.

"Alright, I promise."

"Master Li, farewell!"

With that, Qi Kang clasped his hands together in a respectful bow and left the Blacksmith Shop.

After Qi Kang departed, Li Qing casually flipped through the sinister martial arts manual, but had no intention of cultivating it.

The cost to one's lifespan was simply too exorbitant. Qi Kang, who had practiced this evil technique, would likely not live past thirty.

Li Qing, confident that his martial arts had reached the level of a Transformed Strength Grandmaster, had no need for such a technique.

In the end, he only skimmed through the manual before placing it at the bottom of his chest, intending to return it to the tomb mansion later.

As the Sage Ruler's birthday drew closer, the Grassland Emperor decided to commission a golden statue of himself to be erected in the Imperial Palace.

Unsurprisingly, this extravagant project was implemented, further burdening the already impoverished populace.

For days, Li Qing had been agonizing over how to best utilize his limited supply of rare minerals to forge a weapon.

Based on Qi Kang's words, he was certain that these minerals were essential for Immortal Cultivators, making them incredibly precious.

In the Forge, the fire had been burning for days, yet Li Qing's thoughts remained chaotic.

This was the first time he'd felt conflicted about his blacksmithing work.

"Four Fallen Life Nails should be enough. Any more would be wasteful."

As he wrestled with his decision, Qian Hong arrived again, still wearing her vibrant red dress, her movements as alluring as ever.

Inside the blacksmith shop, neither spoke at first, only the crackling of the fire in the Forge filled the silence.

After a long moment, Li Qing broke the silence. "Are we ready to move?"

"Yes," Qian Hong nodded gently.

"You couldn't persuade the Nine Lotus Sect's Grandmaster to join us?"

"The old Grandmaster suffered severe Vital Energy damage during the battle in Liang Province. He's no longer fit for combat."

Li Qing fell silent for a moment, then murmured, "Without a Grandmaster to lead us, why not wait longer?"

In the next instant, Qian Hong spoke words that deeply stirred Li Qing's heart:

"The common people of this world can't wait any longer."

The people had suffered under the Marauders for too long. They couldn't afford to delay any further!

"This is my last visit. I must go now," Qian Hong said, then turned and left with her usual decisive grace.

As the sound of her footsteps faded, Li Qing closed his eyes.

Countless images flooded his mind.

That was the plight of the common people under the Wu Dynasty's rule, struggling to survive. It was the forced smile of the Osmanthus Cake vendor facing the Grassland people. It was the tearful farewell of a man torn away from his wife and children by forced labor.

The villagers of Crouching Ox Ridge were forced to abandon their homes, and countless lives were lost beneath the iron hooves of the Grassland Marauders.

Shengtian, once a city of song and dance, now saw beggars lining the streets, living hand-to-mouth.

This world felt as if the sun had vanished.

"It shouldn't be like this."

Li Qing slowly opened his eyes. He knew now. He knew what kind of weapon he had to forge.

He would forge a dagger, a dagger capable of assassinating an emperor!

With this thought, Li Qing rose to his feet and retrieved the two pieces of Ink Gold and the Extraterrestrial Meteorite Iron from the forge.

Bang!

The Peerless Hammer crashed down with furious force, shaking the entire blacksmith shop three times as if struck by an earthquake.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

With each dull thud, the three special metals, which had been burning in the forge for a long time, began to transform into the shape Li Qing envisioned.

Li Qing's strength was unparalleled, unmatched in the world. There was no other blacksmith in the realm who could rival his power!

Li Qing channeled his immense Inner Strength through the Peerless Hammer, pounding it into three special pieces of metal.

Thus, an entire night passed. The snow-silver Extraterrestrial Meteorite Iron had been hammered into the appropriate size.

Li Qing planned to use this meteorite iron as the blade of a dagger, then forge the handle from Ink Gold.

Though the materials were limited, they were more than sufficient to craft a single dagger.

Meanwhile, the Wu Dynasty court began construction of a golden statue of the Sage Ruler.

The statue was to be cast entirely from pure gold, an extravagance of the highest order, consuming an unknown amount of resources.

Countless commoners could no longer contain their fury, and the momentum for rebellion grew stronger.

Yet the Grassland cavalry remained unstoppable, ruthlessly suppressing unrest across the land.

As the Sage Ruler's birthday drew closer, Shengtian began to festoon itself with decorations, forcibly creating an atmosphere of joyous celebration.

But few smiles could be seen among the commoners in the streets. They felt no joy at this "heavenly celebration" for the Sage Ruler's birthday banquet.

Finally, after a long, arduous night, a colossal pure-gold statue was delivered to the Imperial Palace in Shengtian.

Today was the Sage Ruler's fiftieth birthday.

The entire Imperial Palace was draped in red carpets, and a festive atmosphere permeated every corner.

The extravagance within the palace stood in stark contrast to the harsh lives of the common people outside.

One by one, officials of the Wu Dynasty entered the palace, bearing precious gifts.

"Vice Minister of Revenue Gao Yudong presents a century-old ginseng root, wishing His Majesty the Holy Sovereign eternal longevity!"

"Clan Chief of the Bandong Tribe presents a rhinoceros horn, wishing His Majesty the Holy Sovereign eternal prosperity!"

"..."

On the throne symbolizing the emperor's power, Holy Monarch Tuwa Ha'er, clad in a magnificent brocade dragon robe, wore a radiant smile as he gazed at the golden statue that bore his likeness.

"Hahaha! My loyal subjects, rise! No need for formalities!"

"Today, let us set aside matters of state. Enjoy yourselves to the fullest!"

"..."

Within the Imperial City, where red carpets stretched endlessly, tables laden with exquisite delicacies were set up, and jars of fine wine were brought forth one after another.

The dishes were rarely seen outside the palace, making this birthday banquet a veritable feast of wine and meat.

Holy Monarch Tuwa Ha'er sat smiling on the Dragon Throne, one hand always hidden in his sleeve, using only the other to pick up food and drink wine.

This Birthday Banquet was scheduled to last from day to night, and countless resources had been poured into preparing this royal feast.

Finally, after three rounds of wine and five courses of food, as dusk approached, a thunderous roar echoed through the palace.

"Dog Emperor, I've come to take your head!"

From above the palace, a gaunt figure who had been lying in wait for some time descended like a falcon.

Qi Kang was the first to strike!

Hearing the roar, the Holy Monarch's expression remained unchanged, as if he had anticipated this all along.

"Heh, I knew those Jianghu warriors from the Maple Country wouldn't stay quiet. I've been waiting for you all for a long time, planning to capture you all in one fell swoop today."

As his words fell, more than a dozen burly men with Grassland features rushed out from within the hall, surrounding Qi Kang as he descended.

Clearly, during his years on the throne, Tuwa Ha'er had cultivated his own group of Martial Artists!

(End of the Chapter)

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