The Black Tiger Gang barged into Li's Iron Shop with more than twenty people, already attracting quite a few town residents, and now causing such a commotion that the outside was surrounded by three tight circles of onlookers.
"What's happening in there?"
"Seems like the Black Tiger Gang bought some problematic blades from the smithy?"
The murmuring from outside the shop could be vaguely heard inside the courtyard. Shopkeeper Li's face changed as he realized that if the Black Tiger Gang continued this disturbance, the reputation of Li's Iron Shop, which he had built over nearly twenty years, could be ruined.
He quickly stepped forward. "Master Wu, indeed there is a problem with the blade, but it's most likely not the fault of the craftsmen from our shop... Li's Iron Shop is willing to forge you a new long saber, with quality that will certainly surpass this one, to ensure your satisfaction, Master Wu."
"I hope you can be lenient."
Zhao Tie's gaze fell upon the long saber as he spoke. He did not suspect that Su Mu was at fault, as Li Tie clearly remembered that it was he who inspected it that day. Besides, since Su Mu joined the shop, his forging had never been in error.
Su Mu possessed a calmness far beyond his years and was not the reckless type; Li Tie believed he had not misjudged him.
He suspected that the Black Tiger Gang was up to something, but without evidence, he could only concede and offer compensation, hoping to smooth things over.
"Lenient? Is this just a matter of forging a new long saber? Selling such inferior weapons from your smithy is practically murder for profit..."
A member of the Black Tiger Gang sneered.
Upon hearing the words 'murder for profit,' Li Tie's face grew extremely sullen, and the blacksmiths behind him were becoming visibly angry.
At this moment, Wu Heng gestured for the previous Black Tiger Gang member to retreat, "Shopkeeper Li, I don't want to make things difficult for you either. How about this... Gang Leader Zhao's birthday banquet is approaching, and I don't want to create misfortune by causing trouble now, nor do I want people to say we're being bullies."
Wu Heng paused with a smile, "Since the blade has an issue, let's do as Shopkeeper Li suggests. However, the terms need slight adjustment—I want to choose a weapon from your shop as compensation, and then we'll consider this matter closed."
Upon hearing the first half of his statement, there was a sneer in the hearts of the smithy employees; if the Black Tiger Gang weren't bullies, then there would be no bullies in Qingshui Town.
However, as Wu Heng finished speaking, everyone, including Li Tie, showed surprise. Today, Wu Heng came menacingly with twenty people, and now he talked so reasonably?
Had Wu Heng changed his ways?
"Perhaps it's because Gang Leader Zhao's birthday banquet is imminent?"
Li Tie thought with relief, casting an inconspicuous glance at the long saber in Su Mu's hand. The thirty-refined long saber, once sheathed, showed nothing extraordinary to outsiders. How could he not agree to such terms?
"Alright, let's do as you say, Master Wu, please."
Seeing Wu Heng indeed take a step back, the people from the shop also felt relieved. After all, it's better to avoid additional trouble; they shared Li Tie's thought that it's just a weapon, after all.
Among everyone, only Su Mu felt differently. With his exceptional senses, he noticed earlier that Wu Heng's gaze was searching the crowd, finally landing beside him.
"Wu Heng is most likely targeting this weapon of mine..."
And sure enough, after Li Tie cleared the path, Wu Heng called out, "Wang He, where is that saber?"
This shout caused the faces of the people in the shop to change.
"Wang He, you traitor!"
Li Xiaohu was furious, immediately shouting angrily, then raised the shovel in his hand to strike.
Wang He trembled all over, suddenly kneeling before Li Tie, "I, I had no choice but to do this, Shopkeeper Li, please forgive me..."
Bang, bang, bang.
Wang He knocked his head forcefully on the ground several times, drawing blood. Seeing the bloodied Wang He, Li Xiaohu's shovel was suspended in mid-air, momentarily stunned.
Previously in town, Wang He sold himself to gather money for his mother's medicine. Seeing his plight, Li Tie had given him some silver and took him back as an apprentice. Who would have thought that he was actually a member of the Black Tiger Gang?
The expressions of Li Tie and the blacksmith masters were filled with disbelief and conflicted emotions. They were angry but helpless, suspecting that Wang He had some leverage over him or perhaps his relatives were under the Black Tiger Gang's control.
After all, the Black Tiger Gang was known for such underhanded deeds.
After knocking his head, Wang He, trembling, pointed toward Su Mu in the crowd, "The blade is on that person."
Seeing this, Wu Heng walked toward Su Mu with a smile, but at that moment, Li Tie's figure blocked his path.
"Shopkeeper Li, are you going back on your word?"
Li Tie was internally conflicted; this saber was his senior brother's test for Su Mu, intended as a token to take to the county's Forging Workshop. If Wu Heng seized it, Su Mu's path to the Forging Workshop would be blocked.
His senior brother had set a deadline before the end of autumn, and there wasn't enough time to forge another saber.
"Move aside."
Wu Heng's voice turned cold, his inner power surging.
At that moment, Su Mu concealed the murderous intent in his eyes and stepped forward, offering the long saber with one hand.
"Master Wu, the blade you seek is here."
"Su Mu, you can't give away this blade..."
Li Tie shouted in alarm, but it was too late; the long saber had already fallen into Wu Heng's hands.
As the long saber landed in his hand, Wu Heng held it horizontally in front of his chest, gripping the hilt and slowly drawing it.
Swoosh!
A cold gleam flashed.
The unsheathed saber emitted a faint blue radiance.
"Excellent blade, indeed a product of Li's Iron Shop."
Wu Heng's words were like a sharp dagger stabbing into the hearts of everyone from the smithy, particularly Zhou Mountain, who clenched his fists and gritted his teeth.
Su Mu remained calm, for when Wu Heng took the blade, he was already a dead man in Su Mu's eyes.
Su Mu's blade was not so easily taken.
"Shopkeeper Li, I'll keep this saber, and there's no need to send me off."
Having drawn the saber three inches before resheathing it, Wu Heng laughed lightly and swaggered off with the Black Tiger Gang.
After Wu Heng left, Li Tie stood silently for a long time before saying, "Everyone... return to your work, Su Mu, come with me."
The two moved to a corner of the small courtyard, where Li Tie first offered reassurance, "Su Mu, I believe the issue isn't with your saber; it's likely Wu Heng's trickery."
Li Tie was concerned that the matter would affect Su Mu, worried that self-blame might dishearten him.
"Yes, I understand, Shopkeeper," Su Mu replied, then casually added, "Shopkeeper, I'd like to buy that problematic saber... as a reminder."
"No need to buy it; you may take it directly, Su Mu."
Subsequently, Li Tie's expression grew complex, and after some hesitant deliberation, he couldn't bring himself to speak until finally patting Su Mu's shoulder, "You should head back."
Watching Su Mu's departing figure, Li Tie muttered softly, "This won't do, Su Mu's talent shouldn't be buried here... I'll think of something; I'll tell him after some time."
That day, Li Tie publicly expelled Wang He from the shop and gave another apprentice a few days off.
At dusk, Su Mu extinguished the furnace and left the forging room, passing through Juren Street before turning into an alley.
Two masked figures in black quickly followed him into the alley.
"Strange? Where did that kid go?"
Seeing the empty alley, the two were dumbfounded, knowing full well that they had seen the kid enter just moments ago. One masked figure voiced his confusion.
The other pondered, "That kid can't escape us forever; there will be more chances... We should head back and report to Master Wu."
After learning that Su Mu was the craftsman, Wu Heng had schemes of his own and sent two people to capture Su Mu, but unfortunately, they had lost him.
"Yes, let's return and report to Master Wu."
After searching the empty alley without finding a trace of Su Mu, the two quickly departed.
They remained unaware of the chilling eyes watching them from the shadows of the empty alley as they left.