Enlightenment: Beginning as a Disposable Warrior-Chapter 63 - 61: Level 3 Wanted Order, Cold Iron Spearhead!

Chapter 63: Chapter 61: Level 3 Wanted Order, Cold Iron Spearhead!

Third-Level Bounty Order, each ointment two boxes, five orders can be exchanged for a formula.

It must be said that this condition is extremely tempting, and it’s exactly what Su Mu lacks right now.

Su Mu’s eyes flickered slightly; the formula for Three-in-One Body-Strengthening Soup gifted by Uncle Zhou is something he still insists on consuming. Bone Forging and Refining Force resemble another watershed among martial artists.

One can choose to directly charge into Seventh Grade after Second Bone Forging or continue Bone Forging to solidify the foundation.

Su Mu will naturally choose the latter; thus, obtaining a Bone Forging formula is quite necessary.

"Alright, I’ll take it."

Li Zhihe flicked his wrist, and the bounty order in his hand unfolded with a ’swish’. Su Mu fixed his gaze, seeing a portrait of a middle-aged man with angry eyes and a menacing smile, radiating a violent aura.

Beside the portrait, two lines of black text described the person’s numerous vicious deeds:

"Zhao Xuan, from Xiaowu Village in Qingyun County, Eighth Grade Second Bone Forging Martial Artist. He is involved in arson, murder, and robbery, stained with the lives of over a hundred people. Half a month ago, he attacked and killed a Cyan Cloud Army captain and many soldiers... Third-Level Bounty Order."

Second Bone Forging, attacking a Cyan Cloud Army Captain!

Su Mu’s heart shuddered; he had interacted with the Cyan Cloud Army several times and was well aware that serving as a captain in there at least requires the Bone Forging Realm.

The wanted orders posted outside the Demon Slayer Bureau, compared to Zhao Xuan, were nothing but small fry.

"Currently, Zhao Xuan is fleeing towards the area of Yan Family Ridge, hiding in the north of Great Mist Mountain. Recently, the Patrol Department discovered a few suspicious individuals there, and after investigation, confirmed them as bandits under Zhao Xuan’s command."

After a brief explanation, Li Zhihe took out a rolled-up small piece of paper from his sleeve and handed it over.

"Not for external transmission."

Su Mu opened it and found it was a secret letter, detailing Zhao Xuan’s recent movements. He wasn’t sure if this intelligence was collected by the government office or internally by the Demon Slayer Bureau.

If it’s the latter, Su Mu’s impression of the strength of the Demon Slayer Bureau subtly shifts; this bureau doesn’t seem to be just an empty shell as rumored.

"Zhao Xuan is ruthless and cunning. Brother Li, be cautious; I’ll be here awaiting your triumphant return." Li Zhihe rose and bid farewell with clasped hands.

Watching Su Mu’s figure leave, Li Zhihe’s eyes slightly narrowed.

Logically, he shouldn’t have entrusted Zhao Xuan’s bounty order to the newly-met Rice Hat Wanderer.

If the assassin fails once, not only will they fall prey to the bandits, but their escape will ensue, and with the bandits’ violent nature, they will certainly seek revenge afterward.

"I hope I didn’t misjudge this time..."

...

Golden Iron Long Street, Forging Workshop.

"Uncle Wu, I would like to take a day off."

"Xiaomu, is one day enough? I can approve a few more days for you."

Uncle Wu Lie had noticed Su Mu’s performance over the past two months, which had indeed surprised him. Initially, not only him but also Chen Yuntian thought Su Mu’s performance during the entry evaluation, when he forged the Hundred-Refined Elite Soldiers, was an overachievement.

It’s indeed the case because Su Mu is still too young.

That day, after directly appointing Su Mu as a blacksmith, many blacksmith masters within the workshop voiced criticisms, but after the emergence of six Hundred-Refined Elite Soldiers over two months, those voices vanished like smoke.

"It’s sufficient; one day is enough!"

Su Mu replied.

After requesting the leave, Su Mu quietly took away an iron box from the Forging Workshop.

As he was about to leave the Forging Workshop, a voice called out from behind.

"Um, Su Mu, wait a moment..."

A young girl of thirteen or fourteen with fair skin and an oval face ran half-bent over in front of Su Mu. This girl was Wu Lie’s daughter, Wu Qiao’Er.

When Su Mu first met her in the Forging Workshop, he was a bit surprised.

Last year, Wu Qiao’Er was the young girl Su Mu encountered while buying pastries outside Xinghua House, but Wu Qiao’Er seemed even more shocked.

Now, she suddenly ran to apologize and left Su Mu quite puzzled. The young girl hadn’t really provoked him.

"Miss Qiao’Er, what is this about?"

"Su Mu..." Wu Qiao’Er tossed her ponytail, her cheeks slightly flushed. "Father waited outside the Forging Workshop for you every day last autumn, but you didn’t come. I cursed you a lot behind your back... I’m here to apologize now."

She was about to bow again, but she felt a steady force supporting her, like an immovable mountain. Upon closer inspection, it was Su Mu holding her with one hand.

Wu Qiao’Er was instantly taken aback; this guy, who was only a year older than her, possessed such strange strength.

"Miss Qiao’Er, I was also at fault... it’s all in the past."

Both chatted for a while, and soon Su Mu turned away to leave.

Watching Su Mu’s departing figure, Wu Qiao’Er twisted the hem of her clothes with her fingers, her almond-shaped eyes filled with doubt, "Father always says Big Brother has a natural talent for Martial Dao..."

"Could it be that Big Brother is lazy in his martial practice?"

Su Mu returned to Yanque Street and extracted the item from the box.

Shimmering cold light and blue glistening; it was a spearhead emitting a chilling aura.

Among martial artists, blades and swords are common, while those wielding great spears are rare.

If he openly forged a great spear for himself within the Forging Workshop, it would pose a great risk of exposing his identity in the future.

Therefore, without having a separate forging room, Su Mu refrained from directly forging a spear, opting instead to craft a spearhead using leftover materials from forging Hundred-Refined Elite Soldiers.

Despite being leftovers,

this spearhead achieved a high quality of 125 refinings, representing the pinnacle of Su Mu’s current forging art, further infused with some cold iron.

Cold iron is slightly more precious than red copper; blades made from cold iron naturally carry a chill. If such a weapon penetrates the body, the chill can cause resistance in the flow of power within the martial artist.

"Zhao Xuan... Heading to Great Mist Mountain, just right to sanctify the spearhead with blood."

Su Mu took the spearhead and several bottles of Blood-Strengthening Pill and set out from the city that day.

Yan Family Ridge, situated at the junction of Qingyun and Changfeng counties, named after a once prestigious Yan clan within the ridge. Though the Yan family declined, it remained a notable force within the ridge.

By dusk, in the light rain, a rice hat wanderer arrived at Yan Family Ridge.

"Waiter, bring three pounds of marinated meat, a bowl of fennel beans, and five bowls of scallion noodles, with extra green onions."

"Sure, sir, please take a seat inside."

The inn was mostly filled with Jianghu folks, who glanced at the rice hat wanderer before resuming their conversations.

"Did you hear? Miss Yan from the Yan family was kidnapped by bandits in Great Mist Mountain. It’s said Yan family’s patriarch flew into a rage and hired a Seventh-Grade Muscle-Enhancing Martial Artist at great expense. Post-battle, that bandit was severely injured but escaped."

"Did such an event happen?"

Some doubted aloud, but several drinking men gradually confirmed the story.

"Indeed, I heard about it too. Apparently, the one they hired was an instructor from Hong Blade Martial Arts Hall in neighboring Changfeng County. Hong Blade Martial Arts Hall is one of the five major powers in Changfeng County."

"Wow, even Hong Blade Martial Arts Hall’s Seventh-Grade Instructor couldn’t capture them?"

Amidst the murmurs, the rice hat wanderer devoured the meal swiftly, and after leaving silver coins, quietly departed.

"To evade capture by a Muscle-Enhancing Martial Artist... Zhao Xuan’s lightweight skill is probably extraordinary; I’ll need to watch out."

Thoughts fleeting through Su Mu’s mind, he then ventured into Yan Family Ridge Market and picked a white wax wood rod about a meter long. Darkness enveloped the earth, black as ink.

The rice hat wanderer silently attached the cold iron spearhead, and armed with a spear, ascended Great Mist Mountain.

...