Immortality begins with becoming a master weapon refiner

Chapter 11 Zhao Huaide

Gu Qing gazed thoughtfully at the mountains.

This ancestral home of the Zhao family is their true home; the Zhao residence in Qishan County is merely a shell. There may be other variables on this trip.

Zhao Huaiyi was also very likely warning him not to lose his mind by relying on force.

Think about it this way.

What could the Zhao family's ancestral home possibly hold that could tempt a martial artist? A precious medicine? Or something else?

I can't figure it out.

The group rested once along the way, ate some dry rations, and then continued on the difficult mountain path, gradually disappearing into the area where people usually lived.

As dusk fell, the setting sun painted the sky a golden hue, and through the dense forest, a cluster of buildings came into view.

The Zhao family's ancestral home is quite unique. It was built by hollowing out the mountain, which took a lot of manpower and resources. It is not only highly concealed, but also has many medicinal herb fields cultivated in the valley.

There are hundreds of people out there.

Including these strongmen, the Zhao clan has at least five or six hundred members, which is no small number.

The arrival of the group attracted everyone's attention.

Before they arrived, Zhao Huaiyi had sent out whistles to give advance notice, and now a group of people were standing at the foot of the exposed mountain to greet them.

"Let me introduce you, Brother Gu."

My wife.

"Madam Zhao."

Gu Qing bowed slightly. There were few relatives in the Zhao family in the county town, and he had never met Zhao Huaiyi's wife. It seemed that Zhao Huaiyi was not at ease with the environment in the county town.

If it weren't for business reasons, he probably wouldn't have gone out.

Madam Zhao was quite old, with a face full of wrinkles, but she still showed joy when she saw Zhao Huaiyi.

"This is my eldest brother, Zhao Huaide. He's in charge of the ancestral home. He'll send someone to arrange accommodation and a smelting room for you later."

Gu Qing nodded slightly.

Zhao Huaide was much older than Zhao Huaiyi, with deep wrinkles, gray hair, and a slightly hunched appearance typical of an old man.

His hands were exceptionally thin, but his voice was strong.

Looking around, there were very few people who showed signs of martial arts training.

"Everyone, this is Master Gu. The weapons I recently brought back are all Master Gu's works, including that horse-head sword. They will be staying here for the next period of time."

"You can inform the younger generation that if they want to master good weapons, they should cultivate a good relationship with Master Gu."

"hehe."

Gu Qing smiled awkwardly. This old bastard never forgets to take advantage of others. He still owes the Zhao family a divine-level sword.

"Alright, Baozi, tell the clansmen to put everything away and get some rest."

"Everyone follow me."

Zhao Huaiyi began to process the things he had brought back. Gu Qing followed Zhao Huaide into the hollowed-out mountain. Inside, the lights were on all the time, with lamps burning constantly.

The passageway was about three people wide and nearly ten feet high.

Even walking side by side, it didn't feel crowded. The old man, leaning on his cane, led him inside, praising him as he spoke.

"Master Gu is so young, yet his skills are extremely exquisite. May I ask who his teacher was?"

"You flatter me, sir. I am like a brother to Brother Huaiyi. May I call you Uncle De?"

"of course."

After striking up a conversation, Gu Qing said modestly.

“My master is just an ordinary blacksmith. He did not inherit the mantle of his predecessors, but rather studied the craft on his own. He makes a living by doing this and is far from deserving the title of master.”

"It's just different when you talk to someone who's capable."

Zhao Huaide sighed.

"The little rascals in the mountains have learned a few skills, and they all look down on everyone else, so arrogant they're practically floating on air."

"Little do people know that the more capable a person is, the more they understand the principle that there is no end to learning and there are always higher mountains to climb."

"Just stay with my tribe during this time. If you need anything, just let me know and I'll arrange it for you."

"Uncle De, you're too kind." The room where Gu Qing would be staying was not large, just a bed, a table, and a small space to put her feet down.

But the food was really good.

The Zhao family has been developing in the mountains for generations, living independently and self-sufficiently. One more person would not be a burden.

After resting for a night.

The next day, a chorus of shouts and cheers could be heard.

The entire mountain has been renovated into seven or eight stories. A group of children around the age of 18 are practicing martial arts in the central open space of the first floor. There are more than thirty of them, with tender and immature little faces.

His movements were very skillful, and his eyes were exceptionally resolute.

Gu Qing took the tray from the woman who brought the food and asked in confusion.

"This is?"

"How's the body-strengthening boxing you learned from Grandpa Huai De? These are all promising martial arts talents."

These words were not spoken by the woman, but by Zhao Huaiyi, who had somehow appeared near Gu Qing.

He casually picked up a hot meat patty from the plate and said while chewing.

"How does it taste? Can you get used to the food?"

Gu Qing was completely confused, feeling that there was something more to what the man was saying.

"What's the meaning."

After finishing a meat pie in a few bites, Zhao Huaiyi sighed.

"Brother Gu asked me before if there were any young grandmasters in the twelve states of Yan. Do you remember that question?"

"nature."

"The genius from Fengming Prefecture who joined the Sword Casting Manor more than ten years ago is surnamed Zhao, and he is my nephew."

Gu Qing was startled and didn't understand why he was only being told these things now that they were here. Was there something he couldn't say outside?

"Some things can only be accessed at a certain level."

"Although my Zhao family is not a prestigious family and we learned about this relatively late, we were fortunate to have produced a genius who managed to squeeze into this level. We also have some capital and resources."

"Gu Qing, do you know the realms beyond Grandmaster? Do you know the true nature of a martial artist?"

Gu Qing was even more puzzled, but she also had some speculations.

"The four realms of martial arts are named by the Yan people as [Body Forging], [Blood Transfusion], [Internal Qi], and [Grandmaster]. They may have different names in other countries, but there is one name that gets straight to the point and is universally recognized."

"Why?"

"The four steps of transcending the mortal realm are also known as the nine-grade realm, which are further divided into four ranks: extreme, upper, middle and lower."

"The lowest rank of the ninth grade is for nourishing strength and strengthening bones."

"Middle of the Ninth Rank, marrow cleansing and blood regeneration."

"Ninth Rank, Upper Level, Golden Skin and Jade Network."

"Ninth Rank, Ultimate Level, Innate Fetal Breathing."

"After completing these four steps, the human body reaches perfection. Taking the next step allows one to transform internal energy into spiritual power, fundamentally different from ordinary humans, extending lifespan by a hundred years, and thus being called an 'immortal'."

It was as if a thunderbolt struck Gu Qing's mind, and he finally understood why the realm displayed on the panel was different from the naming method of the Yan Kingdom's martial artists.

"The divine weapons you forge, if taken a step further, will become the immortal treasures that immortals call magic artifacts. Your talent in smelting is more impressive than you imagine."

Am I a genius?!

"Brother Zhao, you're telling me all this because you want to?"

“That’s right, I, Zhao, want to lead you on the path to immortality, but you are already quite old and your cultivation level is not good enough. We can only see if your talent in metallurgy can win the favor of the Sword Forging Manor.”

Gu Qing smiled helplessly.

"If that's the case, why didn't Brother Zhao say so earlier, instead of arguing with me about food and lodging expenses?"

Zhao Huaiyi immediately glared and said irritably.

"One thing at a time. Even close brothers keep clear accounts. You can't get away with this money."

(End of this chapter)