Chapter 359: One-Breath Sevenfold Strike

After leaving the medical hall,

Wangchuan’s mood was extremely heavy.

Divine Physician Shen’s words had awakened him.

He had never allowed himself to think in the very worst direction.

Even though he felt he had already accounted for the bleakest possibility, he still had not expected that the situation in Qinghe Commandery could affect—and drag down—all the business of the Sanhe Commandery hall, and even bring down the entire Sanjiang Branch Helm and Sanjiang Studio with it.

When he returned to the hall, the training grounds were cold and desolate, utterly lacking the former grand sight of one or two hundred men lined up and training at the same time.

Only the Weapon Room still rang with the crisp, interwoven sound of hammering iron.

Without quite realizing it, Wangchuan made his way there.

“Hall Master!”

“Hall Master!”

Along the रास्ता, shop assistants and blacksmiths kept greeting him of their own accord.

Wangchuan’s thoughts were in turmoil. It was only when he arrived before the three master blacksmiths and saw them forging Thousand-Forged weapons in rhythmic succession that he gradually came back to himself amid the heavy ringing of hammer blows and flying sparks.

He took over a forging table for himself, stepped up to it personally, grasped a hammer, scooped up some Hundredfold Steel molten metal, and began hammering out Thousand-Forged Scales by hand.

Each Thousand-Forged Scale was about half the size of a palm, essentially like a small chest guard plate.

Wangchuan quickly immersed himself in the work.

Today, his One-Breath Sixfold Strike technique had undergone another transformation.

Perhaps because of the continuous breakthroughs he had achieved in the mountains, his Strength had surged from 60 to 76, while both his Agility and Stamina had also risen greatly. As a result, he was now unexpectedly able to erupt into a One-Breath Sevenfold Strike.

Clang-clang!!!

Clang-clang!!!

A rapid flurry of hammer blows quickly completed the first-stage forging for one scale after another.

Once he entered the second stage, however, a few slight flaws appeared. He ruined two scales and had no choice but to cast out every stray thought and devote himself to it entirely.

He worked all the way into the dead of night and finally completed more than forty Thousand-Forged Scales.

“Ding!”

The system prompt sounded:

“《Hundred Ingenious Thousand-Forging Technique》 has advanced to ‘Minor Mastery.’ Reward: +1 Strength.”

Wangchuan smiled faintly.

Grrr...

The moment he set down the hammer, his stomach growled.

He was hungry.

Chen Ergou had already been waiting nearby.

“Hall Master.”

“Everything is ready.”

The group returned to the courtyard.

“Hall Master, do you have something on your mind?”

Chen Ergou and Zhao Heiniu both came over.

When they had descended the mountain in daylight, the Hall Master had still been in high spirits. But ever since returning from the medical hall, he had seemed burdened by cares.

Wangchuan trusted Chen Ergou and Zhao Heiniu completely, so he did not hide anything. He told them the situation in Qinghe Commandery.

The two men’s expressions also turned grave.

“Hall Master.”

“If Old Seven really sends a carrier pigeon message, or dispatches someone back, asking us to continue sending more men to support Qinghe Commandery, how do you plan to respond?”

Zhao Heiniu threw the question back to Wangchuan.

Wangchuan shook his head.

“The hall no longer has any surplus manpower... Old Seven may ask us to draw reinforcements from the Sanjiang Branch Helm!”

“The Sanjiang Branch Helm now has more than one hundred and fifty first-rank martial artists and over four hundred full-fledged martial artists. That does not even include Qingfeng Escort Agency’s manpower... If men really are to be transferred, that would indeed be no weak force.”

Zhao Heiniu’s words suddenly reminded him of something.

Wangchuan froze slightly.

That was right!

The Sanjiang Branch Helm alone already had more than four hundred branch disciples! There were also more than five hundred probationary disciples with Quasi-Martial Artist strength! Add in the three hundred or so people Qingfeng Escort Agency had gradually recruited, and he already had more than a thousand followers under his command!

What exactly was he worrying about?

Under him were the third-rank martial artist Lin Jiahe, and more than a dozen second-rank martial artists including Wang Yuehui, Hong Kaibao, Chen Ergou, Zhao Heiniu, Chen Gang, Li Xiangyang, Yang Feiyue, Fei Zai, Li Qing, Zhang Yao, and others...

Wangchuan abruptly shot to his feet.

Still biting into a steamed roll, he began pacing around the courtyard.

“Ergou, come with me to the Six Gates.”

Wangchuan suddenly spoke.

Chen Ergou was stunned for a moment, then immediately threw aside the things in his hands and began changing Wangchuan’s clothes.

It would not be appropriate to wear Thousand-Forged Battle Armor to the Six Gates. Silver Thread Garment was much more suitable.

The Six Gates was not far from the Caobang hall.

Wangchuan brought Chen Ergou with him and paid a formal visit, requesting an audience with Constable Captain He.

Unexpectedly, when he was led inside, he found both Constable Captain He and Constable Captain Yu there.

“This commoner Wangchuan greets the two honored sirs.”

“Hall Master Wangchuan, you are too polite.”

“Please, sit.”

“Hahaha...”

“This is Hall Master Wangchuan’s first visit to my Six Gates. Could there be some important matter?”

Constable Captain He asked with a smile.

Wangchuan hesitated slightly, but Constable Captain He had already begun explaining with a grin:

“Constable Captain Yu and I are old intimate friends and brothers who have faced life and death together. Whatever it is, you may speak freely.”

“Very well.”

“Your Honors.”

Wangchuan took two Gold Notes from his robe and presented them with both hands to Constable Captain He, leaving both men momentarily stunned.

Each note was worth five hundred taels of gold!

And he had produced two of them at once!

This was no small gesture!

Constable Captain He and Constable Captain Yu exchanged glances.

A blatant attempt to bribe imperial officials?

This boy...

had quite the nerve.

“This is...?”

Constable Captain He pinched the Gold Notes between his fingers, his face full of puzzlement.

Unhurried, Wangchuan explained:

“Thanks to Constable Captain He’s favor, I learned that disciples of the Five Poisons Sect were active in Qinghe Commandery. I took the liberty of leading men into the mountains overnight, wiped out the nest of the Five Poisons Sect branch helm, and burned it to the ground. We seized quite a bit of gold, silver, and jewelry inside. Naturally, Constable Captain He should have his share.”

“...”

Constable Captain He’s expression eased considerably.

Blatant bribery and everyone getting a share were two very different matters.

Constable Captain Yu also showed a look of approval.

“I never would have thought that though Hall Master Wangchuan is so young, his courage would be so great! The Five Poisons Sect branch helm hid in those mountains for many years, with poisonous insects and venomous snakes all around it. Even the Six Gates did not dare mount an extermination campaign there... And yet you actually uprooted it! Admirable! Hall Master Wangchuan truly is a young hero! The waves behind on the Yangtze really do drive the former waves ahead!”

“I dare not claim as much.”

Wangchuan quickly cupped his fists and said,

“If I had not known that the Five Poisons Sect elites had gone to Qinghe Commandery and that the branch helm was short on manpower, I would not have dared strike rashly. It was still all thanks to the intelligence provided by Constable Captain He.”

“Hahahaha...”

Constable Captain He was in an excellent mood.

“Since you put it that way, it seems I do have reason to accept these Gold Notes... However, one thousand taels of gold is a bit too heavy a gift. Hall Master Wangchuan, you must have some other request as well? We’re all our own people here, so you might as well say everything together.”

That single phrase—we’re all our own people—instantly drew the three of them much closer.

Wangchuan understood at once.

One thousand taels of gold had indeed achieved its effect.

“Wangchuan knows that our Caobang’s position in Qinghe Commandery is extremely dangerous. I ask the two honored sirs to point me toward a way through the fog.”

The moment those words left his mouth, the two Constable Captains exchanged looks.

Constable Captain Yu drew a slight breath and frowned.

“The situation in Qinghe Commandery truly cannot be explained clearly in just a sentence or two.”

“But the Caobang really has stumbled badly in Qinghe Commandery.”

“Fortunately, the people of the Five Poisons Sect were wiped out, so the Beggar Sect lost one source of support. Otherwise, Hall Master Yin and Old Seven would probably already have been defeated and driven out.”

Constable Captain Yu’s words were startling.

Wangchuan cupped his fists and said firmly,

“As expected, the two honored sirs see things clearly. If the Caobang is able to break the deadlock and escape its current predicament, there will certainly be repayment.”

“Hall Master Wangchuan, you truly are loyal and devoted. You are nothing like your Old Seven. He has held office for more than half a year and has still never once come to call.”

“But that is hardly surprising...”

“In the past, he was only ever a man who did dirty work. By nature, he dislikes the Six Gates.”

As the two Constable Captains joked, their words carried deeper implications.