Translator: AnubisTL
"Are you saying that the blacksmith, Li Qing, out of the kindness of his heart, gave all the Dark Wheat Mushrooms to Old Man An?"
Inside the luxurious and grand mansion of the Yan Family, a young master dressed in fine silk robes reclined in a chair. His face was unnaturally pale, devoid of any color, clearly a result of his indulgent lifestyle.
This person was none other than the second young master of the Yan Family, Yan Gui'an, who had taken a fancy to An Xuan. Standing before Yan Gui'an was the sly and fawning Yan San, who was bowing repeatedly with a servile expression.
"Yes, I saw it with my own eyes," Yan San said meekly, his eyes lowered.
The second young master of the Yan Family narrowed his eyes and tapped the armrest of the chair with his pale fingers, as if deep in thought.
"I heard that the three Qi brothers, who used to steal and cause trouble in the market streets, were also taught a lesson by this blacksmith, Li Qing, right?" Yan Gui'an asked.
"That's correct. After Li Qing left the market, the three Qi brothers tried to ambush him, but he single-handedly dealt with them," Yan San continued.
Upon hearing this, Yan Gui'an let out a cold laugh.
"Hmph, so giving him a few martial arts manuals actually allowed him to achieve something, huh?"
"Jing Shu, what level do you think that blacksmith, Li Qing, might have reached in his martial arts? Being able to defeat the three Qi brothers alone, he must have some skills, right?"
At this moment, a burly middle-aged man stepped out from behind Yan Gui'an.
It was hard to imagine that in this world of food scarcity, someone could still have such a robust physique.
This man, known as Jing Shu, spoke with a calm and indifferent tone, "Blacksmiths naturally have more strength than ordinary people. Add to that some basic martial arts training, and it's not difficult for him to deal with a few street thugs who can barely feed themselves."
"As for his martial arts level, I don't think it's particularly high. For martial artists, progress is slow if they don't have access to meat in their diet."
Jing Shu offered his professional opinion. He was a martial artist who had mastered Outer Strength and was on the verge of breaking through to Inner Strength, so he naturally had a deep understanding of such matters.
If Li Qing hadn't managed to secure so much grain and dried meat from the military camp, it was indeed likely that his martial arts progress would have been stunted, just as Jing Shu had said.
"Hmm, but that blacksmith, Li Qing, does have quite a skill in forging. It wouldn't be wise to make an enemy of him too easily," Yan Gui'an pondered for a moment before suddenly smiling.
"Yan San, find a way to have the members of the Righteous Gang test Li Qing's martial arts skills. They've been humiliated for so long; they can't just keep swallowing their pride, can they?"
Yan San immediately nodded repeatedly and said, "Leave it to me, Second Young Master. I'll make sure this matter is handled perfectly."
After Yan San left, Jing Shu spoke up, "Second Young Master, if you want to deal with that blacksmith, Li Qing, I can handle it. There's no need to go through all these roundabout methods and involve others."
However, Yan Gui'an shook his head and smiled, "When it comes to teaching someone a lesson, it's best not to do it yourself if you can avoid it. Besides, I'm not out to take his life."
"Let the Righteous Gang test the waters first. If he turns out to be just a weakling, then the Righteous Gang can deal with him as they see fit."
Hearing this, Jing Shu said no more and closed his eyes once again.
He thought of the martial arts he had previously given to Li Qing: the Light Silk Leg Technique, the Turtle Breathing Art, and the Fierce Tiger True Intent Diagram.
These three martial arts were not top-tier techniques, and mastering them wouldn't be quick. He estimated that Li Qing had, at most, only managed to grasp the basics of the Light Silk Leg Technique.
As for the Turtle Breathing Art and the Fierce Tiger True Intent Diagram, he didn't believe Li Qing could comprehend them in such a short time.
What threat could a mere blacksmith pose? After tidying up for a while, Li Qing organized the Peerless Hammer and his armor, preparing to return to Maple Country. However, he suddenly paused in his actions.
After stepping into the ranks of Outer Strength experts, Li Qing's perception had significantly improved. With just a thought, he could easily hear movements outside the courtyard from within his room.
For instance, at this very moment, the usually quiet street outside his courtyard suddenly echoed with a soft, gentle footstep. The steps were slow and light, almost imperceptible, like a cat's, completely unlike the footsteps of a normal passerby.
"Is this a thief? How strange. Who would bother targeting a blacksmith's house?"
"Or has the Yan Family already made their move?" Li Qing chuckled, a cold glint flashing in his eyes. Instead of returning to Maple Country, he sat cross-legged on his bed, steady as a mountain, waiting for the thief to enter.
He wanted to see what this sneaky intruder was after.
At that moment, inside Li Qing's courtyard, a slender figure dressed in black clothes climbed over the wall and landed steadily in the yard.
After quietly surveying the surroundings for a while and confirming that nothing was amiss, the figure began to move toward the house.
As he approached the house, he caught a whiff of an enticing aroma.
Gulp~ The thief couldn't help but swallow the saliva that kept welling up in his mouth. It was so fragrant—the smell of meat!
"Damn, do blacksmiths live this well nowadays? They can even afford to eat meat. No wonder the boss sent me to steal from this place."
The smell he detected was indeed that of meat—the lingering aroma from Li Qing's recent meal, which the thief had unexpectedly caught wind of.
Of course, these words also reached Li Qing's ears upstairs. He raised an eyebrow slightly, feeling somewhat surprised.
So it's not the Yan Family?
This guy was sent here on the orders of some boss? A boss? That must be the Righteous Gang! Having identified the target, Li Qing's expression instantly turned cold.
He hadn't expected that after so long, the Righteous Gang still hadn't forgotten the lesson he had taught the Qi Family's three heroes and had now sent someone to seek revenge.
Being remembered for so long would make anyone uncomfortable.
"So it's the Righteous Gang, and they dare to send someone to my doorstep."
Muttering softly, Li Qing got out of bed.
Having practiced the Light Silk Leg Technique, his footsteps were even more silent than a cat's.
The thief downstairs, rummaging through the house, naturally couldn't sense his presence.
Descending the stairs, Li Qing looked at the thief, who had his back turned and was searching for food in the kitchen, a cold smile playing on his lips.
"Damn it, where did this guy hide the meat?" the thief muttered as he continued his search.
Unable to find anything of value, the skinny thief was about to move on to search elsewhere when suddenly his entire body froze.
The back of his neck was gripped by a strong, powerful hand.
He clearly sensed that it was a force he could never resist—an absolute, overwhelming strength that could easily control his life and death.
"Sir, I was wrong... Please... spare me."
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(End of the Chapter)
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