Heaven-Collapsing Start [Quick Transmigration] - Chapter 22

Chapter 22

Gu Yun walked into a blacksmith shop. He picked casually through the dazzling array of cold weapons on the shelves, but through the reflection of a blade’s surface, his gaze caught a suspicious figure outside the shop.

His brows furrowed slightly; then, Gu Yun smiled silently.

Reaching the innermost part of the shop, the rhythmic sounds of hammering grew louder. A brawny man, bare-chested and holding a massive iron hammer, appeared before him. The man struck a piece of dark iron on the anvil again and again until Gu Yun called out:

“Boss!”

The hammer finally stopped. The brawny man grabbed a towel hanging around his neck, wiped away his sweat, and walked out.

“What is it, traveler? All the weapons are right here. Which one caught your eye?”

Gu Yun: “Bring out the best sword you have for me to see.”

As the words fell, the man walked to a rack and reached up with both hands to take down a sharp, prized sword hanging at the highest position, then laid it on the table before Gu Yun.

“Here, the sword you asked for.”

However, Gu Yun shook his head and said, “While this sword is quite good, it is not the best!”

At these words, the man narrowed his eyes.

“Boy, you have a bit of an eye.”

He gestured for Gu Yun to follow, ignoring the so-called “best” sword on the table, and turned back into the room where he had been forging.

Gu Yun followed him in.

Inside, a wave of heat immediately rushed over him. Gu Yun saw the man walk toward a burning furnace, and atop it sat a sword.

The texture of the blade was clearly discernible, glowing red under the reflection of the furnace fire. Yet, the sharp edge revealed a piercing, cold glint that actually seemed to suppress the billowing heat of the furnace.

At the first sight of this sword, Gu Yun’s eyes lit up, and he praised it sincerely: “A fine sword!”

When the man took it down, the crimson glow faded and the cold glint was reined in. It looked like an ordinary mortal blade, but having witnessed the scene just now, Gu Yun could only marvel at it once more.

The man slowly stroked the blade and said, “She is my most satisfying masterpiece. She hasn’t been named yet.”

Turning his gaze sharply toward Gu Yun, he continued, “Do you believe you have the ability to take her away?”

…

Half an hour later, Gu Yun walked out of the blacksmith shop, carrying an extra weapon tightly wrapped in white cloth.

The Shadow Pavilion member following him in the shadows slipped into the blacksmith shop as soon as Gu Yun was at a distance. A moment later, he emerged and continued to tail Gu Yun.

However, Gu Yun had no intention of going anywhere else; he headed straight back to the manor where the Demonic Sect was hiding.

Did that kid go out just to buy a sword? …Am I overthinking things?

After listening to the Shadow Pavilion member’s report, Xu Wei frowned and waved for him to dismiss.

After a long while, Xu Wei walked out of his room with a smile on his face and headed in a certain direction.

…

Gu Yun returned once again to the room. At a glance, he saw the youth Ah Heng holding a book, looking completely entranced. Looking to the side, his Eldest Brother’s thin figure in green was seated in a chair, occasionally responding to the youth’s questions about things he didn’t understand.

With Gu Yun’s vision, he could clearly see that the ink on the open pages was fresh, looking as though it had just been written. The marks of the book’s binding were also prominent.

Pausing for a moment, he moved his gaze away from the little black ink figures dancing with swords on the pages. Gu Yun crossed the threshold and walked in, speaking at the same time:

“Young… Master, the sword you asked for.”

He handed over the long weapon wrapped in white cloth. Ji Liang took it; the white cloth slid away, revealing a cold, black scabbard.

Ji Liang’s fingers gripped the hilt and slowly pulled it out. A cold glint reflected in his eyes, which were as indifferent as an ancient well.

“A fine sword.”

Hearing Ji Liang say this, Gu Yun said happily, “As long as you are satisfied.”

At this moment, Ah Heng also put down the sword manual and looked over. Seeing it was a real sword, his face instantly filled with joy. His eyes glowed, and his excitement and thrill were written all over his face.

He couldn’t tell if the sword was truly good or not, but since his Teacher said so, it must be excellent. Moreover, as long as it was given by his Teacher, Ah Heng would cherish it immensely no matter what it was.

Ji Liang had already returned the sword to its sheath after inspecting it and handed it over to the excited youth.

“Thank you, Teacher!”

The youth was full of pleasant surprises. He held the sword and looked at it over and over again, unable to put it down. His joy was exactly the same as when he had first received the wooden sword.

Then Gu Yun added, “This sword doesn’t have a name yet.”

Ah Heng instinctively looked at his Teacher. He heard his Teacher say, “A sword is your most loyal partner; its name should also be chosen by you.”

The youth went quiet, looking at the sharp blade with its reined-in cold glint. His eyes swept over the sword manual nearby, and suddenly his eyes lit up.

“Ah, I’ve got it!”

Ji Liang and Gu Yun looked over. They saw the youth holding the sword, saying joyfully, “Since the technique is the Insects Awaken Sword Technique, then let’s call it the Insects Awaken Sword!”

…

Gu Yun had never heard the name of this sword technique, nor had he ever seen his brother use it. However, he knew his brother must have given it to this youth. Standing in the courtyard, he watched the youth’s clumsy initial movements as he began to dance with the sword. Gradually, Gu Yun’s posture straightened.

He had thought that what his brother gave the youth was just an ordinary, common technique. But as the youth’s movements became more proficient, a hint of amazement couldn’t help but surface in Gu Yun’s eyes.

He wasn’t looking at the youth, but at the sword technique. This was why he was so surprised; he could tell that the power of this technique was definitely among the top few in the Jianghu (martial arts world).

Even though the youth currently couldn’t exert its true power, in time, he would surely make this sword technique famous throughout the world.

Gu Yun didn’t know where his brother had obtained this technique, but to give it so casually to the youth now… Thinking of his brother’s health and the fact that he likely could never practice martial arts again… Even if it didn’t show on his brother’s face, given his brother’s proud nature, he would never show the slightest sign of weakness even if he were suffering immensely inside.

Gu Yun tilted his head back slightly, taking a long while to suppress the bitterness in his heart.

After a moment, Gu Yun’s ears twitched. He turned around as almost imperceptible footsteps sounded outside the courtyard. Soon, Xu Wei’s figure appeared.

As soon as he entered, his gaze swept over the sword-dancing Ah Heng, then over Ji Liang, seeing the open sword manual in his hand.

Pausing, Xu Wei clapped his hands and smiled. “Congratulations to Young Hero Ji on the reunion of master and disciple.”

Ah Heng had already stopped, wiping the sweat from his forehead. He looked over and, seeing it was Xu Wei, his brows furrowed in an expression of disgust.

“What are you doing here, you fellow?”

Ah Heng had not forgotten that it was this man who had kidnapped him and brought him here, using him to threaten his Teacher.

As he spoke, the youth stepped in front of Ji Liang, gripping the sword tightly.

However, Ji Liang stepped past the youth to the front. With an indifferent expression, he looked at Xu Wei as if looking at a stranger.

“What do you want?”

Even his voice was calm and flat.

This was not the reaction Xu Wei had imagined. Seeing the man he had betrayed, the other party should have been furious. This level of calmness as if he didn’t care about the betrayal at all along with being ignored when he first entered the manor, made Xu Wei slightly displeased.

After all, he was once someone the other party valued, and he had come up with many plans for him. Now that the tables had turned and their statuses were reversed, even if the man didn’t show rage, there should be some abnormal reaction, right?

Xu Wei smiled. “Nothing. I just came to see if my former master is satisfied with the room I arranged.”

Ji Liang looked at him plainly. “You’ve seen it now. So, can you leave?”

He was entirely blunt.

Xu Wei’s face immediately darkened. He snorted coldly. “I think Young Hero Ji is still unclear about his current situation!”

“Unclear like how you bit the hand that fed you?”

A voice suddenly chimed in from the side; it was Gu Yun, disguised as Xiao Ba, who couldn’t help but speak up.

“When the master is speaking, when is it your turn to interrupt!”

“Oh? According to your logic, it turns out you were originally my Young Master’s subordinate. If that’s the case, calling you a backstabber is letting you off easy!”

Just thinking about how it was because of this Xu Wei that his brother had been framed caused Gu Yun’s internal fury to surge, causing him to overlook a slight anomaly.

In his mind, if the Demonic Sect Leader Yin Ren was determined to have his brother’s Hidden Pavilion, he would surely not allow his brother to be harmed, because he still needed to use his brother to command Chun Niang.

Yet now, in Xu Wei’s words, he looked upon Ji Liang as if he were already a dead man.

Ji Liang’s current situation, what kind of situation was it?

Falling from a wolf’s den into a tiger’s lair, Ji Liang had become numb to these plot points. It was nothing more than a certain-death trap.

But still, it was… quite unpleasant.