Chapter 373: An Endless Stream

Wangchuan: Male (Hunger 69/100)

(Life Profession: Blacksmith)

(Combat Profession: Third-Rank Martial Artist)

Strength 79; Attack 26–27;

Agility 116; Defense 23.2; Speed +116;

Stamina 86; HP 860/860;

Spirit 29: Internal Energy 290/290.

Free Attributes: 8 (Unassigned)

(Cultivation Methods Folded)

During this period of training with Lu Ping’an, Wangchuan made full use of Lu Ping’an’s Pinnacle Perfection swordsmanship and successfully cultivated 《Basic Sword Technique》, 《Swift Sword Art》, and 《Qingcheng Sword Art》 to Perfect Mastery, while raising 《Water-Moon Sword Art》 to the realm of Integration.

By this point in his training, his Agility had soared to 116, a value only one step away from the threshold of a sixth-rank martial artist.

Now, when they sparred again, it was already difficult for Lu Ping’an to defend calmly against all of Wangchuan’s sword arts, especially when facing those three sword techniques. He had no choice but to use his internal cultivation method.

Wangchuan could also clearly feel that his strength had improved tremendously.

Then he looked again at 《Basic Sword Technique》. Its Experience Value had already risen further;

《Basic Sword Technique》 was now very close to the realm of Pinnacle Perfection.

Wangchuan patiently intended to continue cultivating another sword art to see whether he could push 《Basic Sword Technique》 all the way into Pinnacle Perfection.

However...

the martial tournament was drawing near.

Only two days remained.

There were more and more affairs requiring attention by the river;

and the number of guests at the Sanhe Commandery hall also suddenly surged, leaving him with no time at all to continue sparring with Lu Ping’an.

“Hall Master!”

Wangchuan had only just returned from inspecting the riverbank and had not even had time to head toward the practice grounds when he ran into Cui Mingjue, who had come to deliver a message.

“Old Seven is entertaining guests in the front hall. He ordered this subordinate to invite you over.”

“Oh? Who has come?”

“Deputy Hall Master Zhang Zishan of Qinghe Commandery.”

The moment Wangchuan heard this, he smiled faintly. A colleague, then.

Zhang Zishan was the one in Qinghe Commandery responsible for manpower, the Armory Manual Vault, and the Weapon Room. Since the man had come to Sanhe Commandery to pay a visit, Wangchuan naturally had to go over and exchange a few words, if only to get acquainted.

And besides!

This martial tournament needed people to lend it prestige. If a colleague from the Qinghe Commandery hall had come to support it, he had even more reason to go and receive him properly.

He could not be discourteous.

Zhang Zishan was thirty-six years old and powerfully built.

He was quite shocked and surprised by how young Wangchuan was.

But Zhang Zishan had also come with a purpose. In addition to participating in the martial tournament and seeing whether he could place in the rankings, he was also prepared to recruit a group of martial artists here.

Both Wangchuan and Old Seven smiled and expressed their welcome:

As for whether anyone could actually recruit people away, that would depend on each side’s own methods.

The two sides spoke very pleasantly together.

At this moment, someone came in briskly from outside to report:

“Old Seven!”

“There is a group outside requesting an audience. This is their visiting card. They say they are from the Gold Coin Gang.”

As soon as Old Seven heard this, he solemnly accepted the visiting card. After a single glance, his expression changed sharply. He immediately stood up and said to Wangchuan and Zhang Zishan:

“The one who has come is Elder Shu of the Gold Coin Gang.”

Wangchuan heard the words, but did not fully grasp their weight.

Zhang Zishan, however, reacted strongly. His face changed at once.

“Shu Wangtian—the elder who once led the disciples of the Gold Coin Gang to charge into the Horse Gang’s heartland three separate times to seize people and goods. It is said that beneath the Gold Coin Gang’s Gang Leader and Deputy Gang Leader, he is one of the most capable elders, and his strength is formidable!”

“...”

Old Seven nodded forcefully and said in a ringing voice:

“Wangchuan, come with me and receive him at the gate!”

Since the one who had come was such a heavyweight elder of the Gold Coin Gang, and since he had sent a proper visiting card before entering, the rules demanded that he be received with equal courtesy—or with the highest courtesy possible.

Zhang Zishan cupped his fists and withdrew to rest at the rear.

Old Seven brought Wangchuan with him and personally went out to receive the guest.

As the two reached the gate, they saw from afar a line of burly men with silver chainmail armor over their upper bodies, blades slung at their sides, standing in orderly formation behind a stern-faced man with restrained light in his eyes.

The latter stood with his hands behind his back, calmly observing the Caobang hall, the Caobang disciples, and the passing martial artists.

“Elder Shu, your great presence honors us. I have failed to welcome you from afar.”

“Old Seven.”

“Not at all, not at all. In front of Elder Shu, if you call me Ghost Old Seven or Little Seven, that would feel more intimate.”

Old Seven’s posture left Wangchuan a little incredulous.

Back when facing Elder Zhu of the Beggar Sect, Old Seven had remained seated in an imposing manner and had not given even half a point of face. Yet toward an elder of the Gold Coin Gang, he seemed to be lowering himself considerably.

“Elder Shu, please come in at once!”

“Tea and pastries are already prepared inside. I have also sent people to order a full banquet to be delivered, to welcome you and wash away the dust of the road.”

Old Seven’s attitude left both the Caobang disciples and the Gold Coin Gang disciples rather astonished.

Elder Shu and his group were welcomed into the main hall.

Elder Shu looked around the room, and his gaze came to rest on Wangchuan’s face. He looked him up and down.

“This one is...?”

“The Deputy Hall Master of my Sanhe Commandery hall—Wangchuan, my right-hand man.”

Old Seven introduced him.

Then he explained to Wangchuan:

“This Elder Shu is Hall Master Yin’s sworn brother. In those days, he worked together by land and water to smash many of the Horse Gang’s experts. Back then, I was still just an insignificant little figure under Hall Master Yin’s command.”

Understanding dawned on Wangchuan.

So this was Hall Master Yin’s sworn brother.

No wonder Old Seven was behaving with such humility.

Wangchuan quickly cupped his fists in greeting.

“Wangchuan greets Elder Shu.”

“A young hero indeed!”

Elder Shu’s eyes were keen. He nodded in praise.

“His bones and frame are solid, his movements are nimble, his breathing is long and steady, and the divine light in his eyes is drawn inward. Ghost Old Seven, there is something to your deputy.”

“There certainly is.”

Old Seven laughed at that, unable to hide a trace of pride.

“Elder Shu, don’t be fooled by how young he is. He has helped me with no shortage of strategies and ideas, and... he has even saved my life.”

“Oh?”

Elder Shu was slightly taken aback.

Old Seven then recounted in full how he had been poisoned by the deadly toxin of Poison Sand Palm, and how Wangchuan had ultimately refined and cultivated Poison Sand Palm himself by using poison sand and washing his hands in medicinal liquid, thereby drawing out the poison for him.

Wangchuan stood to one side, silent and upright.

Only then did a note of seriousness appear on Elder Shu’s face. He nodded.

“Good!”

“At such a young age, yet loyal and courageous. He is worth nurturing.”

The disciples of the Gold Coin Gang also revealed admiration in their eyes.

Old Seven continued:

“This time, in Qinghe Commandery, when we dealt with the Beggar Sect and the Five Poisons Sect together with Hall Master Yin, it was also thanks to Wangchuan. Otherwise, there would have been no way to clean up that mess. Both the Hall Master and I would have been trapped there.”

“...”

Elder Shu’s gaze toward Wangchuan became warmer and more appreciative.

“Good!”

“He has courage and strategy! No wonder he was entrusted with such heavy responsibilities at such a young age.”

Wangchuan knew that Old Seven’s words were really meant to tell Elder Shu that he belonged to Hall Master Yin’s side, that he was one of their own and did not need to be guarded against.

Elder Shu clearly understood this as well. After a round of pleasantries, he moved on to the main matter:

This martial tournament being held in Sanhe Commandery had attracted no small number of martial artists and heroes from the Jianghu. Several disciples of the Gold Coin Gang also wished to take this opportunity to win a place in the rankings.

Among the disciples he had brought with him was one newly advanced third-rank martial artist, the Helm Leader of one of the Gold Coin Gang’s branch helms, and also his personal disciple—Chen Libin!

Shu Wangtian’s intention was to use this chance to let his disciple make a name for himself in the third-rank tournament, gain prestige, and then use that fame to compete for the position of Hall Master of a hall.

At these words, Wangchuan immediately began observing the eight disciples standing behind Shu Wangtian. His gaze came to rest on the face of a thirty-year-old man standing in the center. The man was also watching Wangchuan. Their eyes met, and each saw a glimmer in the other’s gaze.

The third-rank tournament...

a future opponent.