Chapter 110 Forging Swords

Fan Li stood with his hands on his hips,
The little sword attendant perched on his shoulder,
Under the moonlight,
He stood for a long time.

The little sword attendant occasionally looked down, watching the big oaf beneath her, noticing the tenderness in his eyes.

This tenderness was for the city wall.

The city wall of Shengle City was finally completed, costing the lives of hundreds of savage slaves to meet the deadline.

Many people couldn't understand, including many within the city, why the construction was rushed so much.

Although the lives of savage slaves weren't precious, they could still be sold for money, or put to use in workshops.

Even if savages were treated like livestock, they weren't usually treated this way.

But recently, as news from the Cheng Kingdom arrived one after another, the previous grumbling gradually disappeared.

The newly established Dacheng Kingdom seemed to be collapsing in less than a year. If the Cheng Kingdom fell, then Shengle City, being close to the Heavenly Break Mountain Range and located in the easternmost part of the Yan Kingdom's territory, would definitely be the primary target of the savages.

A city, a strong city, could play a significant role. Even though the Yan people were known throughout the land for their iron cavalry, the real Yan people under the rule of Shengle City were only a small part.

Moreover, having a city behind them meant that the initiative in terms of grain, material transportation, and army rest and reorganization was truly in their hands. Even if one took a step back, the effect of stabilizing morale and restraining the local Jin warlords nearby could not be ignored.

Many nearby warlords and stronghold owners had recently taken the initiative to send their female relatives and children to settle in Shengle City. They knew their own situation; their strongholds could block bandits and outlaws, but they were no match for an army of savages.

At the same time, unlike when the Wenren and Helian families went to war with the Yan Kingdom, the stronghold owners and local warlords had been quite indifferent at that time, with a sort of "wait and see" attitude. They weren't really that panicked in their hearts.

It was just a change of dynasty; even if the ruling banner above the city changed, they would still be in charge locally. They didn't believe the Yan people would raise the butcher knife, and the Yan people indeed didn't, only exterminating the Wenren and Helian families to vent their anger at these two families for launching a war against them without permission.

But this time was different. How would the savages treat them once they arrived?

If the conflict between the Yan and Jin people was a confrontation between countries, a duel between two political forces, then the conflict with the savages was a battle between different races.

Especially in the Shengle City area, the savage slave trade had been booming for over a hundred years. Who hadn't stained their hands with the blood of savages?

Because they knew how they had treated the savages, they didn't have any illusions about being "treated kindly" by them.

Moreover, the news from the Cheng Kingdom confirmed this; the savagery and cruelty of the savages were indeed extremely terrifying.

Therefore, no matter how the savage rebellion would affect the Yan Kingdom's politics in general, it had at least played a positive role in resolving internal conflicts and strengthening control over the local area in Shengle City.

Si Niang now only slept for two hours a day, busy approving and processing various articles, while also meeting with the visiting stronghold owners and warlords, making promises where necessary and giving warnings where needed.

These warlords and stronghold owners were like madams with a bunch of girls under their control in front of Si Niang, being kneaded, divided, and organized by her. Everything was still in good order.

Liang Cheng was only responsible for training soldiers. Because a large number of local disciples from the strongholds had recently come, either on their own initiative to protect their homes or sent by their elders, Shengle City had absorbed many new recruits. Liang Cheng was responsible for coordinating them, and he was overwhelmed.

And the blind man, who could have helped share the workload, hadn't returned yet. Xue San and Fan Li were responsible for supervising the forging of military equipment at the blacksmith's workshop and building the city, respectively. Si Niang had to shoulder everything alone.

Fortunately, the master wasn't at home, reducing the burden of daily needlework, so she could manage.

The moonlight was soft,
Fan Li reached out and stroked the city wall bricks, like an artist admiring his newly completed work.

"Hey, you big oaf, I'm telling you, this city is good, but it's far from those real great cities in the world. Can you be a bit more ambitious? Wait until you build a city that can compare to Shangjing City, then you can be happy, okay?"

The little sword attendant acted like she had seen the world, giving Fan Li pointers.

To some extent, the little sword attendant had traveled north and south with Yuan Zhenxing, and although she had suffered a lot, she had indeed been to many places.

Fan Li shook his head and didn't speak.

Most of the time, unless you actively asked a question that required a "yes" or "no" answer, Fan Li would most likely choose to respond with silence.

Of course, there were exceptions. Sometimes Fan Li would suddenly blurt out a sentence, but that sentence would definitely make you angry.

The little sword attendant patted Fan Li's head, slid down from his broad shoulders, drew her small wooden sword, and began practicing her swordsmanship.

She had been discouraged by Fan Li in her sword practice, but her mentality was good enough, and her enthusiasm and subjective initiative for sword practice hadn't diminished.

Fan Li continued to admire the city wall,
The little sword attendant began to practice her swordsmanship on her own,
One big and one small, formed an odd harmony under the cover of the night.

"Huh?"
A soft murmur came.

Fan Li turned his head, walked to the little sword attendant, and looked ahead.

Ahead, a middle-aged man walked out. The man ignored Fan Li's large size and kept his eyes on the little sword attendant.

"Come on, give Uncle another two dances."

"Don't scare the child."

The blind man's voice came from behind.

Fan Li took two steps back, and since it was someone the blind man brought back, he lowered his guard.

The little sword attendant looked at the Sword Saint with some curiosity, and the Sword Saint looked at her with similar curiosity, while saying to the blind man:

"You said there was a gift for me in this city, is it this one?"

The little sword attendant glared at the blind man with a pout, but the blind man was immune to all threatening glares.

"Do you like it?" the blind man asked.

The Sword Saint nodded and said:

"I like it very much."

The conversation between the two was like a shady, immoral, and despicable transaction, filled with a sickening aura.

"Just practicing the basics, yet she can already dance out a sword rhythm, amazing, amazing. Even when I was chosen by my master as a child, I estimate I didn't have her current aptitude."

A natural sword embryo,
For a sword master,
How could one not like it?

Emperors wanted to pass on their empire, kings and nobles wanted to pass on their wealth, while martial arts masters wanted to pass on their skills and knowledge.

The little sword attendant could understand the meaning of their words. She was also a clever little thing, but that was why she was so angry. In the eyes of these people, she was just a gift of decent quality?

"I have a master, my master is called Yuan Zhenxing!"

"Yuan Zhenxing?"
The Sword Saint rubbed his chin and said:

"Sounds familiar."

"My master is the second best swordsman in Qian!"

"Oh, him."
The Sword Saint remembered, and a look of regret appeared on his face.

Since she had a master, it was difficult. Although the Sword Saint didn't think much of that master.

The blind man then added:

"Yuan Zhenxing is dead."

"Good."
The Sword Saint was satisfied,
The master was dead,
That meant she was unattached.

The little sword attendant clenched the wooden sword in her hand. She didn't resist or refuse any longer, but said:

"I can acknowledge you as my master, but you..."

A smile appeared on the blind man's lips.

However, the little sword attendant's next words surprised the blind man slightly.

"But you have to stay in this city!"

The Sword Saint's mouth opened slightly,
He chuckled twice,
And said to the blind man standing beside him:

"If you hadn't been with me all the way, I would have thought you had arranged this long ago. It seems that Shengle is truly a place with outstanding people and resources. Even the gifts are helping the original owner speak."

"You flatter me, Sword Saint."

"Hahaha."
The Sword Saint laughed loudly, reached out and rubbed the little sword attendant's head, and said:

"Listen, from now on, you don't need to learn the sword of Qian's second best swordsman. Follow me and learn the world's best sword."

The little sword attendant took a deep breath,
Dropped the wooden sword in her hand,
Knelt down to the Sword Saint,
And said:

"Disciple greets Second Master!"

"Hmm? Why Second Master?"

"Yuan Zhenxing is my First Master."

"But he's dead."

"But he taught me, took care of me, and raised me."

"Hehe, you're making me sit below Yuan Zhenxing?"

"Yes."

"Do you think I would agree?"

"This is the disciple's bottom line."

"Then do you know my bottom line? I don't even think much of Qian's Baili Jian."

"But please grant my request."

"If I don't grant it, you won't learn swordsmanship from me?"

"Yes."

"If Yuan Zhenxing knew you were so stubborn and missed this opportunity, what do you think he would think?"

"If my master knew he could sit on the head of the Sword Saint, he would probably wake up laughing in his coffin."

"Cough..."
The Sword Saint coughed,
"Tomorrow, go to my place, and I will guide you."

"Thank you, Second Master, thank you, Master."

"Why two thanks?"

"Reporting to Master, the first thank you is to confirm that you are Second Master, but from now on I will call you Master. Since I want to learn your skills, Master, I can't keep calling you Second Master all the time, making you uncomfortable."

"In general, people who practice swordsmanship are somewhat eccentric. Baili Jian is like that, Li Liangsheng is like that, and the one from Chu is even more so. Even I have some.

But you, little imp, have a mouth that knows how to talk."

"Thank you for the compliment, Master."

"Alright, alright, that's settled then."

The blind man then stepped forward and said, "Then shall I arrange the apprentice acceptance ceremony tomorrow?"

The Sword Saint looked at the blind man with some curiosity and asked:

"Are you very free?"

Now that he had arrived in Shengle City, in the Sword Saint's view, the blind man should have too many things to be busy with.

"What I'm busy with is the biggest thing in front of me, isn't it?"

"Hehe, there's no need for an apprentice acceptance ceremony. He has a First Master, and I am a person from a fallen country. What's the point of having a ceremony? It will only make people laugh."

"It's other people's business to laugh. We're just living our own lives, not living for others. You've come to our Shengle, we should at least do our duty as hosts."

"Not appropriate, not appropriate. How much favor one receives from others, in the end, one has to repay them. I won't accept your favor. I'm only responsible for waiting here, waiting for the savages to come."

"Then we have to arrange an official position for you. The official position represents treatment. We can keep it secret from the outside, but because everything in our Shengle City is currently allocated according to the wartime situation, so..."

"Don't think I don't know what ideas are in your blind man's head."

"You are wise, naturally nothing can be hidden from you."

"Alright, if you want me to be your official, fine. This is the East Gate, right? As long as you can help me find Longyuan back, I won't mind being a city guard for your East Gate."