Chapter 36: The Fallen Genius!
"An Intermediate Yellow-Rank Blacksmith, huh…"
Riding once again in the moving carriage, Jiang Lin removed his helmet and greatsword, his gaze pausing on the black-bladed dagger in his hand.
"That should be it. If the blacksmith were any more advanced, he wouldn't be so interested in me. So… was it the Ziyun Sword I sold last time that brought this trouble?" Jiang Lin muttered inwardly.
Just then, Fu Bo, driving the carriage up front, spoke: "Young Master, people always believe what they want to believe. That unknown blacksmith probably suspects you obtained some incredible forging inheritance and wants to get something out of you. But judging from the fact that he didn't show himself or send anyone at the Da Dou Shi level, that blacksmith likely isn't stronger than a Dou Shi and didn't dare act personally."
Mr. Yao had been raising Jiang Lin as if he were his own son, so it was natural for Fu Bo to refer to him as "Young Master."
"So the one who spread that false message to lure me into the magical beast trap was actually aiming at Mr. Yao?" Jiang Lin suddenly asked.
"That's likely," Fu Bo replied. "They probably assumed Mr. Yao would be accompanying you. If he had been injured or worse, they would've taken their chance to move in. Even though their plan failed, they still managed to test Mr. Yao's strength—even if what they saw was staged."
"…This whole 'they're in the shadows, we're in the light' thing isn't ideal," Jiang Lin muttered. He didn't like being passive.
Fu Bo responded calmly, "In Qingshan Town, there are only three mercenary groups with Da Dou Shi-level power: the Lionheart Mercenary Group, the Beast Mercenary Group, and the Qingshan Mercenary Group. The Lionheart group had past dealings with Wan Yao Zhai, but they've moved on to Blackrock City—common behavior for mercenaries who grow strong enough to seek larger opportunities."
"Qingshan Mercenary Group is also preparing to expand. They'll be leaving soon, which leaves the Beast Mercenary Group."
Jiang Lin's eyes narrowed slightly. "So Mr. Yao suspects the Beast Mercenary Group is involved in the ambush?"
"Not suspects—he's certain," Fu Bo said flatly. "Mr. Yao is convinced someone within the Beast Mercenary Group is colluding with the Wolf Head Mercenary Group. Years ago, he had a falling-out with the Beast Mercenary Group's leader, Yan Hu. Their strength is evenly matched, but Mr. Yao has full confidence in your potential. No matter what they try, they'll always come up short."
"So what's our next move?" Jiang Lin asked.
"That's up to you, Young Master. Mr. Yao said that as long as he doesn't act personally, everything can be done according to your decisions."
"Although he said not to tell you this… now that you have the strength to stand on your own, you mustn't rely on Mr. Yao's power when making decisions." Fu Bo paused, then seemed to steel himself. "Mr. Yao suffered serious injuries in the Izumo region. His Dou Qi is slowly fading, and his strength is steadily declining…"
Back in his youth, Mr. Yao was a talented cultivator in the Izumo Empire, a rising star of his sect. But due to some conflict, he was poisoned with a vicious toxin that damaged his dantian, halting his cultivation and causing his Dou Qi to regress over time. He'd turned to medicine in hopes of curing himself, but had only managed to slow the deterioration.
Currently, Mr. Yao was at the Da Dou Shi level, but a full-powered strike could push his condition into relapse, dropping him down to a Dou Shi.
"…Understood," Jiang Lin replied solemnly after a brief silence.
"For now, we let it go. Act as if nothing happened. Give me one year—I'll settle everything."
"Very well. I'll follow Young Master's lead," Fu Bo nodded and resumed guiding the carriage toward Wutan City.
—
In Wutan City's magical beast marketplace, Jiang Lin wore his Black Knight armor beneath a black cloak and hood, appearing mysterious. But his look wasn't unusual here—on the street alone, he spotted several others dressed in a similar way.
His attire was perfectly normal by Dou Qi continent standards.
"Hey, did you hear? That Xiao Clan genius—he's fallen!"
"Huh? He died?"
"No, no! His talent fell! It's been a year and he hasn't improved at all. Rumor has it he dropped from one-star Dou Zhe back down to Dou Qi Stage Nine!"
"No way! Good thing I didn't marry my precious daughter off to him. That would've been a waste!"
"Oh please, stop dreaming about your armored pig of a daughter. Even Old Wang the butcher has his eye on her."
"Who the hell's spreading that rumor?! Come out and fight me!"
"…."
Covered in armor and cloak, the towering Jiang Lin picked up a mysterious beast hide scroll from a roadside stall—one without any writing on it. Without haggling, he tossed over a thousand-gold crystal card.
The vendor initially thought of milking him for more, but one look at Jiang Lin's massive build and the metallic scrape his armor made when he squatted down quickly shut him up.
Jiang Lin slipped the scroll into his pocket and looked toward the scene causing the commotion—two grown men were wrestling on the ground, trading insults.
From the crowd's chatter, Jiang Lin pieced together what happened.
"So… Xiao Yan's cultivation really regressed?" Jiang Lin raised an eyebrow in doubt.
After some thought, he headed toward the Xiao Clan estate. Compared to a year ago, Jiang Lin now had official status in Wutan City as a Low Yellow-Rank Blacksmith, which was quite useful. The Xiao Clan wouldn't make things hard for him. Fu Bo, meanwhile, was off handling business at the Temir Auction House, selling goods and acquiring rare materials. Jiang Lin had come to the beast market hoping to pick up some hidden gems.
And sure enough, he'd found another intriguing beast hide scroll.
Since the ambush on the road, Jiang Lin had used the same Dou Techniques to defeat their former owners in direct combat. That resonance allowed him to break through to become a two-star Dou Zhe.
So it's true—using firearms to kill really does reduce the guilt. And wearing armor gives you an insane sense of safety.
Standing in front of the Xiao Clan gates, Jiang Lin finally let out a breath. Only now did he feel himself slowly coming to terms with the mental pressure of his first kill.
Unlike most people, who might faint or go pale, Jiang Lin simply felt a weight in his chest.
Now that he had accepted the possibility of being killed himself, that heaviness had finally lifted.
(END CHAPTER)
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