Chapter 292: Heir of Heavenly Craft

Chapter 292: Heir of Heavenly Craft

"Is it you?"

The Inkquiring Scholar stared at the Hidden Sword Recluse sitting on the rocking chair, raising his wine to the sky, intending to honor Ji Shuhua with a sacrifice.

The Inkquiring Scholar could no longer hold back:

"You dare to be so brazen! If I don't kill you today, I, the Inkquiring Scholar, swear I will no longer be human!!"

As soon as his words fell, he pushed off with his toes and leaped forward, pouncing towards the Hidden Sword Recluse.

Having roamed the martial world for so long, he had rarely encountered such perilous situations.

This small patch of greenwood forest, the narrow path within the mountain crevice, had truly sent shivers down his spine.

Nearly all the men he brought with him had perished, and he himself had narrowly escaped death.

First, he was nearly killed by the Sudden Heart Arrow, and then he almost had his body pierced by Wuchang's Calamitous Rain Needle.

By now, rage consumed him, and he didn't even bother to gauge the Hidden Sword Recluse's strength. With a swift flick of his folding fan, he lunged at the Hidden Sword Recluse's vital points.

This man was known as the Inkquiring Scholar because his weapon was the Judge's Pen.

The iron Judge's Pen was specifically designed for striking acupoints, and the techniques employed were extremely refined.

However, this man rarely revealed his Judge's Pen.

In everyday combat, he relied solely on his folding fan, resorting to the Judge's Pen's ultimate moves only at critical moments.

Often, the mere drawing of the Judge's Pen sealed the battle's fate.

Therefore, many who knew him would pay close attention to where his Judge's Pen was before engaging in combat.

Over time, he came to be known as the Inkquiring Scholar.

At this moment, dealing with the Hidden Sword Recluse, he did not directly use the Judge's Pen but instead attacked with his folding fan.

The power behind his attack was extraordinary!

Yet, the Hidden Sword Recluse, seated on the rocking chair, paid no heed to his approach.

It was the red-robed middle-aged man behind the group who couldn't help but warn:

"Be careful of his chair."

"Hmm?"

Upon hearing this, the Hidden Sword Recluse tilted his head slightly. Without even seeing who had arrived, he gently tapped the back of the chair.

With a sharp *click*, thousands of needles shot out from the chair's armrests.

Almost the entire area ahead was instantly barricaded.

"The Wuchang's Calamitous Rain Needle again!?"

The Inkquiring Scholar's face turned ghostly pale in an instant.

Wuchang's Calamitous Rain Needle was truly one of the martial world's most feared hidden weapons. When triggered, thousands of needles would erupt like a tempest, sweeping through like a deadly storm, as if the very essence of impermanence was reaping lives—who could survive?

At that time, when Su Mo was escorting the second convoy, the black box he obtained contained the Wuchang's Calamitous Rain Needle.

If Su Mo had been overcome by curiosity and opened the box to take a look, the consequences would have been hard to predict.

At this moment, at such close range, the Wuchang's Calamitous Rain Needle suddenly erupted, leaving the Inquiring Scholar paralyzed on the spot.

The only thing he managed to do was snap open his folding fan and whirl it rapidly in front of him, attempting to block the Wuchang's Calamitous Rain Needle aimed at his chest and abdomen.

But how could he succeed?

The Wuchang's Calamitous Rain Needle was swift and relentless, and in an instant, thousands of needles pierced through his body.

The Inquiring Scholar's expression went blank, and he died instantly.

At such close range, even if others wanted to rescue him, it would have been too late.

They could only watch helplessly as the Inquiring Scholar's body plummeted from mid-air.

The old man and the woman both had a change of expression. The Inquiring Scholar's martial arts were not weak, yet he died so inexplicably.

Suddenly, the old man's gaze fell on the table, and an idea struck him. He murmured something into the woman's ear.

The woman nodded slightly and glanced at the Hidden Sword Hermit:

"Sir, we are here under the orders of the Great Manager to seek the Star Sea Legacy Sand Iron. We have no intention of making trouble for you.

"Please surrender the Star Sea Legacy Sand Iron. Once we obtain it, we will leave immediately and not linger.

"The lives lost on our side today will be a tribute to Master Ji. We will not pursue this matter any further.

"Additionally, the Great Manager has said that if we obtain the Star Sea Legacy Sand Iron, we can offer ten thousand taels of silver.

"Please consider carefully whether you wish to oppose us or take the ten thousand taels of silver."

"Ten thousand taels of silver?"

The Hidden Sword Hermit was startled: "That much?"

"Indeed," the woman immediately nodded. "Exactly ten thousand taels in silver notes from the Great Wealth Bank, not a single tael less!"

"Ah..."

The Hidden Sword Hermit sighed: "Don't you think Ji Shuhua was a bit of a fool? Ten thousand taels of silver would have been enough for him to retire from the martial world. He could have found a tranquil place, built a small estate.

"Hired a few servants, taken a few wives and concubines, and lived a carefree life.

"But instead, he recklessly threw his life away for the Star Sea Legacy Sand Iron... truly, too foolish.

"Fortunately, I am wise. I would never risk my life for the Star Sea Legacy Sand Iron."

The woman's eyes sparkled, and she smiled:

"Sir, you are indeed a wise man who knows how to choose wisely."

"Of course," the Hidden Sword Hermit chuckled, casually setting the wine jar aside.

"What is this so-called chivalry of the martial world? It's all nonsense. Friends? Just people you drink and eat with."

"One dies, and there are plenty left. Who cares about who? With this ten thousand taels of silver, Ji Shuhua doesn’t matter!"

"But... talk is cheap. Where’s the silver?"

His eyes searched.

"Here."

The old man reached into his sleeve and took out the banknotes: "Give us the item, and the banknotes are yours."

"...You’re a sly old man. I just said I’m smart. You think you can trick me?"

The Hidden Sword Hermit shook his head: "Even a straight-up exchange might not be trustworthy. How about this: you give me the banknotes, and I'll give you the Star Sea Legacy Sand Iron. What do you think?"

This was obviously untrustworthy, but the old man kept nodding.

"That’s how it should be."

As he spoke, he stepped forward with the banknotes. The Hidden Sword Hermit’s eyes were glued to the banknotes, full of greed, and he no longer paid attention to anything else.

The old man moved cautiously the whole time.

This guy’s martial skills aside, his tricks were unpredictable and hard to defend against.

The more relaxed he seemed, the more it made people nervous...

Finally, he reached the Hidden Sword Hermit and handed over the banknotes. The Hidden Sword Hermit reached out to take them.

But then he instinctively glanced at the old man:

"Is there a trick? Did you poison the banknotes? Will I drop dead the second I touch them? Or will you jump me the moment I grab the banknotes?

"If it’s the second one, let me remind you.

"My skills are top-notch. If you try anything, you’ll be dead before you know it."

"..."

The old man was momentarily speechless, then said:

"Don’t worry, sir. My intentions are pure, as clear as day. I mean no harm."

As he spoke, he made a gesture with his other hand behind his back.

The woman, who’d been quiet the whole time, stepped forward and reached the table, smiling:

"That’s right. We’re only here for the Star Sea Legacy Sand Iron. You’re a master beyond compare, and we wouldn’t dare cross you..."

The Hidden Sword Hermit nodded: "Fair enough."

As he spoke, he placed one hand on the armrest of the chair and reached for the banknotes with the other.

But the old man was a bit far from him, so he had to stand slightly, causing both hands to leave the armrest.

Seeing this, the woman didn’t hesitate. With a quick step, she reached the table and grabbed the iron block.

"Do you think I can't recognize this? It's the refined Star Sea Legacy Sand Iron!"

"Ah!!"

The Hidden Sword Hermit was shocked. "How could you do this? I haven't received the money yet!"

"Ha ha ha!"

The old man laughed heartily, casually taking back the banknote and reaching out to grab the Hidden Sword Hermit's wrist:

"Sir, with your great talent, why not accompany me on a journey?"

The woman grabbed the Star Sea Legacy Sand Iron, while the old man seized the Hidden Sword Hermit, both attacking simultaneously.

But at that moment, the middle-aged man in red robes, who had been silent and staring at the table, suddenly shouted loudly:

"Danger! Retreat quickly!!"

"What?"

At his shout, the old man's hand, which was about to grab the Hidden Sword Hermit, paused slightly.

He was always cautious, preferring to plan before acting, but ever since entering the Hidden Sword Cottage, he had been manipulated. Now, with this sudden warning, he instinctively felt that the Hidden Sword Hermit was up to something.

But at that moment, an intense wave of heat suddenly swept through the room.

The old man turned his head sharply, looking at the table.

He saw fierce flames erupting along the edge of the table.

The woman stood right in front of it, and the fire came silently. By the time she turned around, she was already engulfed in flames.

"Aaaah!!!!"

She didn't die immediately but let out a heart-wrenching scream, writhing on the ground in unbearable pain.

"Qingsi!"

The old man's face changed drastically as he saw the Hidden Sword Hermit's fingertip move slightly, as if triggering something.

Without hesitation, he immediately leaped into the air.

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!

Three cold arrows flew out from the Hidden Sword Hermit's sleeve, but the old man, having anticipated this, dodged in advance.

He looked back, his face darkening:

"Sudden Heart Arrows!?"

"You... you actually recognize them?"

The Hidden Sword Hermit was stunned, then heard the old man roar angrily:

"Kill him!!"

As soon as these words were spoken, the three white-robed swordsmen, who had been motionless, immediately sprang into action, their swords thrusting towards the Hidden Sword Hermit from three directions.

The Hidden Sword Hermit laughed heartily and slapped the armrest with his hand:

"Beware, Wuchang's Calamitous Rain Needle!"

Although the three white-robed swordsmen were lethal assassins from the Shadowkill Pavilion, trained from a young age to be deadly, they were not mere puppets.

Having just witnessed the power of Wuchang's Calamitous Rain Needle, which had killed the Inkquiring Scholar and his companions, how could they afford to be careless?

They swiftly raised their swords in defense.

Yet, all was eerily calm—where was Wuchang's Calamitous Rain Needle?

In their bewilderment, they looked up and saw the Hidden Sword Hermit tumbling from the rocking chair and scrambling frantically towards a thatched hut.

"Out of tricks already?"

Seeing this, the old man understood immediately.

Moreover, observing the Hidden Sword Hermit's movements, it was clear that this man lacked any martial prowess.

He bellowed, "Such audacity!"

Each member of their group was a seasoned martial artist.

The great manager initially wanted to obtain the Star Sea Legacy Sand Iron but hesitated to reveal his identity, hoping to profit discreetly. Thus, he gathered a ragtag band of martial practitioners to try and take the item from Ji Shuhua.

Unexpectedly, Ji Shuhua, living up to his legendary loyalty, would rather die than hand over the item.

In the end, he clung to life long enough to deliver it to Su Mo.

The great manager hesitated to provoke Su Mo, the Eastern Wasteland's Number One, yet he couldn’t bring himself to abandon the plan. Thus, he spread the news throughout the martial world, aiming to rally the martial world against Su Mo.

He sought to exploit the chaos.

However, Su Mo’s dominance was already unshakable. After the news spread, while some dared to act against the Star Sea Legacy Sand Iron, many more were stopping them.

As a result, the situation remained clear.

Powerless and too fearful to face Su Mo head-on, he waited until Su Mo delivered the item and left the area for three days before daring to make his move.

Today’s arrivals, though unwilling to challenge Su Mo, were by no means ordinary.

Who could have imagined that a blacksmith devoid of martial ability would turn the tables on them?

At this moment, watching the Hidden Sword Hermit about to reach the thatched hut, the old man seethed with anxiety and rage. He had no idea what mysteries the hut concealed.

If the Hidden Sword Hermit managed to rush inside, the consequences would be unpredictable.

But having dodged the Sudden Heart Arrows and Wuchang's Calamitous Rain Needle, they were powerless to halt his advance.

All of this had been calculated by the Hidden Sword Hermit.

Using the Star Sea Legacy Sand Iron as bait and himself as the lure, his goal was to kill all the intruders today to honor Ji Shuhua's spirit in heaven.

Now, as long as he reached the hut, he was confident he could annihilate everyone present.

But just as he was one step away from the hut, a shadowy figure materialized in his path.

The man, clad in a bright red robe, swiftly closed the door of the thatched cottage and kicked directly at the Hermit Swordsman.

Caught off guard, the Hermit Swordsman had no time to defend himself and was struck squarely in the chest by the kick, sending him flying backward.

He landed unharmed but looked somewhat bewildered:

"Who are you?"

The flames on the table, Wuchang's Calamitous Rain Needle, and the Star Sea Legacy Sand Iron were all meant to attract attention.

The goal was to divert their attention away from himself when chaos broke out.

Given their positions and distances, the person who could instantly appear on his path must have never cared about items like the Star Sea Legacy Sand Iron.

His focus was entirely on himself, which is why he could block his path at the critical moment.

But the Hermit Swordsman couldn't understand why, with the Star Sea Legacy Sand Iron right there and the woman's screams still echoing, someone would ignore all that and focus solely on him.

He touched his dark, broad face, genuinely not thinking he should attract attention.

Especially not from a middle-aged man.

"I am Huo Liaoyuan," introducing himself more formally.

The red-robed master stepped forward, clasping his fists: "May I ask if you are a descendant of the Heavenly Craftsman?"

The Hermit Swordsman's expression changed instantly, and he laughed, shaking his head:

"What Heavenly Palace descendant, Netherworld descendant—I don't understand."

"The Sudden Heart Arrow, Wuchang's Calamitous Rain Needle—these all come from the Heavenly Craftsman's Treasure Record.

"And this Heavenly Craftsman's Treasure Record is a marvelous book compiled by the Great Xuan Dynasty, gathering the finest craftsmen from across the land.

"Do you really not know?"

As Huo Liaoyuan spoke, the old man and three white-robed swordsmen arrived.

The old man, initially furious, changed his expression when he heard Huo Liaoyuan's words:

"The Heavenly Craftsman's Treasure Record? Master Liaoyuan, are you saying..."

"Exactly."

Huo Liaoyuan nodded slightly, smiling at the Hermit Swordsman:

"Ordinary people don't know, but we are aware that the Great Xuan Dynasty gathered all the skilled craftsmen in the world, not just to compile the Heavenly Craftsman's Treasure Record.

"While compiling this treasure record, they also built an armory..."

The old man couldn't help but gasp, suddenly looking at the Hermit Swordsman and laughing heartily:

"After searching far and wide, we find it effortlessly!

"The great manager has spent his life pursuing wealth, never imagining that the greatest treasure in the world would be here!

"Sir, with such talent, why stay here?

"Past grievances can be set aside; we hope you can join us and create something great together!"

As soon as he finished speaking, he suddenly struck.

With a swift motion of his palm, he instantly struck down a white-robed swordsman beside him, then swiftly kicked and reached out to seize.

A long sword suddenly lunged from the side, and the old man caught the white-robed swordsman's wrist, twisting it sharply with a crack, instantly snapping the swordsman's wrist.

In the next moment, he delivered a palm strike, and with a thud, the white-robed swordsman's skull shattered, brains splattering everywhere.

The earlier kick sent the white-robed swordsman, about to draw his sword, stumbling back a few steps. After dispatching the second swordsman, he swiftly closed the distance.

His fists rained down like a storm, striking in every direction.

The white-robed swordsmen, already outmatched, lost their initiative and were overwhelmed by the relentless flurry of punches.

With a single misstep, one was struck in the chest, his heart meridian instantly severed, killing him on the spot.

Huo Liaoyuan merely glanced at the scene, unfazed.

The Hidden Sword Hermit was stunned:

"You... why did you kill them?"

"They're from the Shadowkill Pavilion, hired by the great manager to help us.

"If we don't kill them, and the Shadowkill Pavilion finds out, it could spell endless trouble."

The old man chuckled softly: "What do you think of my earlier suggestion, sir?"

"Not much... not only do I not know what this 'Heavenly Craft Record' you mentioned is.

"But your sheer ruthlessness makes it impossible for me to join forces with you.

"Moreover... Old Ji's body is still warm. If I cannot ensure you all remain within Hidden Sword Cottage today, I would be unworthy of the word 'friend'!"

At this point, he suddenly smiled:

"I thought killing all of you would let me walk away unscathed, but now it seems we must perish together... huh?"

Before he could finish the last word, he suddenly paused, looking up:

"Chief Escort Su... didn't you leave?"

However, upon hearing this, the old man and Huo Liaoyuan burst into laughter.

"Sir, your cunning is truly admirable.

"At this point, you still try to intimidate us with Chief Escort Su...

"Unfortunately, you underestimate us."

"Huh? Is that so?"

Just as the two were laughing heartily, a voice suddenly came from behind them:

"I wonder, what exactly has the hermit underestimated about you two?"