A Long Grind to Daoist Monarch-Chapter 136 - 117: No More Than Three Disciples, a Pair of Hundred Refinements Hands

"Years of friendship, is it really not worth it for Master Li to come out and meet?"

The last sentence was directed at the wooden house behind the blacksmith shop.

After forging the eight major hammers of gold, silver, copper, and iron, Li Yuan had largely retired and rarely forged weapons personally.

He spent years in seclusion researching how to refine excellent materials and cast Divine Soldiers.

The "Wind-listening Saber" and "Black Snake Spear" sold by the Hongming Shop in Yihai Prefecture.

Most were made by his apprentices, only a few were forged by Li Yuan himself out of boredom.

Every time one appeared, it would be bought at a high price.

"Lao Ou, you're still alive; it's truly rare."

The door of the wooden house was kicked open with a "bang".

Lu Shiping, already considered a tall and sturdy man at eight feet tall, was dwarfed by this person, who was a head taller, with a waist as broad as ten spans. He was like the fierce generals in stories, who could hold a person with a fist and could run horses on their shoulders!

His eyes were bright like lightning, and his vigorous Qi Blood nearly overshadowed the large furnace of the blacksmith shop.

Li Yuan, owner of the Fire Kiln, master of the Hongming Shop, and a renowned figure in Yihai Prefecture's craftsmanship!

He stood with his hands behind his back, his voice like thunder:

"You're just fooling around, why join in the fun? You dare to come from Black River County? Aren't you afraid of being beaten to death by the Instructor?"

The gray-robed elder, called "Lao Ou," twitched his face and coughed twice:

"I just arrived a few days ago and made a special inquiry; he's not around."

Li Yuan's steps were steady as his gaze, almost tangible, swept over everyone, finally landing on Zhu Shou Rang.

The latter's hair stood on end as if struck by lightning, feeling an alarming panic.

"Martial Bone Hundred Refinements Hand, medium grade, ranked sixty-seventh, indeed has some talent.

But Dog's 'Human Bear Waist' is also medium grade, ranked fifty-third, not any worse than your Zhu Wulang."

Li Yuan smiled amicably, his extremely imposing and domineering figure like a Maitreya Buddha statue in a temple.

Zhu Shou Rang was about to retort, his chest puffed out, but was interrupted by Lao Ou:

"Li kid didn't beat the Fifth Young Master in forging, and besides, they say they don't want to be your apprentice, forcing it won't do any good, right?"

Glancing at Li Jun kneeling on the ground, face buried in mud, Li Yuan's eyes flashed, and he relented:

"Becoming an apprentice is possible. What great gifts have you prepared?"

Zhu Shou Rang tried to speak again, but this time was interrupted by Zhu Ling'Er:

"Ten jars of thousand-foot Cold Pond Water, five bottles of Quenching Iron Liquid refined by the Firework Daoist, a manuscript by Divine Artisan Gongyang Ye, eight hundred catties of Sinking Water Copper, various valuable gifts, offered to Master Li."

As her words ended, Lu Shiping couldn't help but gasp.

Sinking Water Copper, an excellent raw material, valued at a hundred taels of silver per catty, was an astronomical figure by itself.

Not to mention the thousand-foot Cold Pond Water, the Quenching Iron Liquid used by the Firework Daoist, and the manuscript by Divine Artisan Gongyang Ye... each an invaluable treasure sought after in dreams.

Even a Master Craftsman would be tempted.

More accurately, the more renowned figures in craftsmanship knew the value of these things!

"Good, good. Boss Zhu still understands etiquette! You also know that I value rules the most; becoming my last apprentice is not impossible."

Li Yuan stepped into the blacksmith shop, his imposing body almost filling the space. He picked up the Wind-listening Saber forged by Zhu Shou Rang and casually said:

"Inferior quality."

Immediately, he casually chose a few refined steel ingots, placed them into the large furnace; he needed no one to pull the bellows, his chest heaving as he breathed like a storm, fiercely stoking the fire.

Watching the steel ingots soften, Li Yuan grabbed a slightly smaller copper hammer and began striking, his movements fast and steady, as if a thousand sounds joined into one, shaking the eardrums painfully.

In less than Half a Stick of Incense, a rough shape of a Wind-listening Saber was forged. He inserted the glowing red blade into a large jar of water, and as he gently turned it, hissing sounds and white steam rose, creating a large mist.

His arm muscles bulged, strength flowed like a bright flame, tempering the edge.

That kind of invisible rhythm resonating with the mind left everyone mesmerized.

"It's done!"

In less than an incense stick's time, a brand-new, shining Wind-listening Saber came off the forge.

The blade was thin, the edge sharp, the body slightly thick, faintly exuding a cold gleam.

Without needing to be wielded, it emitted a gentle tremor, exuding a sharpness that could cut skin.

Compared to the casual work of Master Li, the Wind-listening Saber Zhu Shou Rang spent two hours forging was simply unworthy of notice.

"My requirements are simple, whether it's Zhu Wulang or any other random person who can sever my work with their saber, they will be my last apprentice! I will sincerely teach, without reservation!"

Li Yuan surveyed the crowd, leaving his forged Wind-listening Saber on the anvil, turned and left the blacksmith shop without returning to his wooden house, heading down the mountain.

"What..."

Zhu Shou Rang's face turned ugly; even if he forged a good hundred-layer saber, it might not achieve this level. 𝗳𝚛𝚎𝚎𝘄𝕖𝕓𝕟𝕠𝚟𝚎𝕝.𝗰𝕠𝐦

"No worries, Fifth Young Master. If you can't do it, Li kid can't either, and no one in the whole Black River County can! This apprentice, Old Li will have to accept sooner or later! Since the rules are set, we'll have a way through!"

Lao Ou comforted.

"Exactly! I still have the Quenching Iron Liquid of the Firework Daoist! It can increase the strength of the material... hmph!"

Zhu Shou Rang's eyes lit up as he looked at Li Jun, his head buried in the mud, then turned to Lu Shiping, finally respectfully addressing Zhu Ling'Er:

"Second Sister, shall we leave too?"

Zhu Ling'Er kept her brows furrowed; her Zhu family younger brother, with the same lineage, acted too presumptuously, not following the rules at all.

One must know, whether to accept an apprentice always depends on Master Li's will.