The end of Gaowu: Becoming stronger from not practicing

The higher-ups of the Divine Craftsmen's Pavilion were all talking amongst themselves, their faces growing increasingly grim.

They were not afraid of Zhang Lingfeng, even though he was a level 5 peak blacksmith.

But they feared a hidden master inscription expert whose strength might reach level three.

Divine Inscription Masters possess unpredictable and mysterious methods, and are particularly adept at soul attacks and long-range assassinations, making them virtually impossible to defend against.

What's even more frightening is that they knew nothing about Zhang Tianshi.

"If the rumors are true, this is a very troublesome matter for the Divine Craftsmen Pavilion."

The Grand Elder concluded, his gaze sweeping over Shen Qiming and Shen Pengyun, "Our previous actions may have thoroughly enraged this Celestial Master Zhang."

"Then... what do we do now?"

Shen Pengyun's voice was a little dry.

"Let's reconcile, and I beg for forgiveness!"

The elder said firmly.

"We must reconcile with Zhang Lingfeng, or rather, with Zhang Tianshi behind him, or continue the fight, but the price we can't afford may be too high."

The retaliation of a mere level-three divine rune master is enough to make it impossible for our Divine Craftsman Pavilion to move an inch in White Emperor City, and perhaps even... to continue operating.

The Grand Elder was not exaggerating.

The greatest asset of the Divine Craftsmen Pavilion is its group of skilled blacksmiths.

However, if Zhang Tianshi kills this group of blacksmiths, then the Divine Craftsman Pavilion will not be able to continue to exist. Without blacksmiths, the Divine Craftsman Pavilion is not the Divine Craftsman Pavilion.

Shen Qiming's face was ashen, and his fists were clenched tightly.

He was one of the heirs of the Divine Craftsmen Pavilion, and it wouldn't be an exaggeration to call him the young master of the pavilion. He was proud and arrogant, and had never bowed his head to anyone. Let alone bowing his head and apologizing to someone he had once looked down on, someone he had tried to recruit or even assassinate.

This is simply a shame!
"Qiming, Pengyun, I know you are not reconciled."

The Grand Elder looked at the two of them, his tone softening somewhat, but with an undeniable resolve, and said, "But for the future of the Divine Craftsmen Pavilion, for the foundation of our Shen family for thousands of years, personal honor and disgrace must be put aside."

Zhang Lingfeng's talent and potential, coupled with the possibility that a level three divine rune master might be backing him, mean he is no longer someone we can easily manipulate.

Rather than making enemies to death, it's better to turn enemies into friends.

At the very least, we must first calm them down to prevent Zhang Tianshi from attacking us directly.

As an elder of the Divine Craftsmen Pavilion, Shen Pengyun, Shen Qiming's second uncle, was relatively calm. He looked at Shen Qiming and said in a low voice, "Aming, the First Elder is right. As long as we're alive, we can always rebuild. Let's get through this first."

Shen Qiming's chest heaved violently. Finally, under the heavy gazes of everyone, he seemed to have all his strength drained away, and nodded dejectedly: "I understand. I will not affect the development of the Divine Craftsman Pavilion."

"Go prepare the gift!"

"First of all, stop trying to take advantage of the Master Craftsman's Shop's reputation."

"Make a copy for Commander Ma as well."

"Especially that Zhang Tianshi, we must make sure he is satisfied."

The Grand Elder gave the order.

The senior management of the Divine Craftsman Pavilion quickly prepared a generous gift.

Five hundred thousand divine stones, several rare and treasured forging materials, and a contract promising never to be an enemy of the Divine Craftsman's Shop again and to provide them with business advantages.

There were also some strange and unusual things.

For example, there are massage chairs, mahjong tables, various playing cards, and even a group of girls who sing songs.

This is called catering to someone's preferences.

Shen Qiming and Shen Pengyun have been studying Zhang Lingfeng during this period.

I know that Zhang Lingfeng is addicted to playing mahjong.

At first, they thought there might be some secret in it, so they asked someone to buy a copy from the craftsman's shop to study it carefully.

Nothing came of it.

Now is the perfect time to send these things to the Divine Craftsman's Shop.

Try to gain Zhang Lingfeng's understanding.

After preparing everything, Shen Qiming and Shen Pengyun, accompanied by several attendants, walked out of the magnificent gate of the Divine Craftsman Pavilion with mixed feelings, heading towards the Divine Craftsman Shop on Ma Street.

They could have traveled by airship.

But I thought that since it was an apology, it should be sincere.

Since the Divine Craftsman's Pavilion wasn't far from the Divine Craftsman's Shop, I chose to walk there.

Shen Qiming walked at the front, his face still grim, clutching the gift list tightly in his hand, his knuckles white.

He kept convincing himself that this was just a temporary measure, for the sake of the Divine Craftsmen's Pavilion.

But that sense of humiliation gnawed at his heart like a venomous snake.

Shen Pengyun followed beside him, cautiously observing their surroundings. He was equally uneasy, wondering if the peace request would be successful, and even more worried about whether the mysterious Zhang Tianshi would be willing to accept it.

They had just left the main street where the Divine Craftsman's Pavilion was located and turned into a relatively quiet alley leading to Ma Street.

This alley is usually not crowded with pedestrians, and it was unusually quiet at this moment.

Just as the two reached the middle of the alley, something unexpected happened!

Without any warning, a powerful yet subtle divine rune force descended like an invisible cage in an instant.

This enveloped Shen Qiming, Shen Pengyun, and their entourage.

This was the binding power of a level three divine inscription master, far exceeding the level of a level one divine inscription master. Like a tangible swamp, it suddenly stiffened their bodies, and the flow of divine power within their bodies instantly became stagnant. They couldn't even make a sound, and all that remained in their eyes was endless terror.

They didn't even have time to see who the attacker was, nor did they sense any obvious signs of impending violence.

Immediately afterwards, several faint whooshing sounds rang out almost simultaneously.

That was the sound of a throwing knife slicing through the air, faster than their mental senses could process.

The dark glint of the blade, like the sigh of death, flashed and disappeared in the alley.

puff!
puff!
puff!
The sound of a sharp blade piercing flesh was dull yet clear.

Shen Qiming and Shen Pengyun felt a cold, stinging pain in their chests, throats, and other vital areas, followed by a feeling of powerlessness as their life force rapidly drained away.

Their eyes widened as they tried to unleash their divine power to resist and to crush the life-saving jade slip, but all their struggles were in vain under the powerful divine runes that bound them.

They could clearly feel that the throwing knife contained not only sharp physical destructive power, but also a cold and domineering force that invaded their bodies through the wounds, frantically strangling their life force and directly impacting their soul essence!
"Ho...ho..."

Shen Qiming made a hoarse sound in his throat, filled with resentment, fear, and disbelief.

He never expected that just after the Divine Craftsmen Pavilion decided to back down and seek peace, the two of them went out with sincerity, only to be attacked so decisively and ruthlessly!

Who is it? Is it Zhang Tianshi?

Shen Pengyun was also filled with confusion and anger.

Both he and Shen Qiming suffered severe damage to their souls and bodies.

But both of them are high-ranking gods.

He also possesses powerful weapons to protect his life.

He wore incredibly protective inner armor.

Although Zhang Lingfeng's level-three divine rune power did not imprison their bodies, it could not weaken their inner armor's defensive capabilities for a period of time.

at the same time.

The magical artifacts on Shen Qiming and Shen Pengyun also protected their souls, which prevented Zhang Lingfeng from directly crushing their souls.

It caused their divine bodies to collapse and their souls to vanish into nothingness.

"Enlightenment!"

at the same time.

A powerful figure from the direction of the Divine Craftsman Pavilion sensed the commotion here.

A powerful aura swept over them.

I'll spare your lives for now.

Zhang Lingfeng looked helpless.

Although he was a high-ranking god and a level three divine rune master, he was still no match for the Divine Craftsmen's Pavilion in a direct confrontation. Once he was surrounded, he would surely die.

After all, given the resources of the Divine Craftsman Pavilion, they might not have a Level 3 Divine Inscription Master, but they could certainly hire one. "Roar!"

The followers behind Shen Qiming were not so lucky; they were instantly killed by the same flying knife attack.

It turned directly into a blood mist.

The entire process, from the appearance of the divine runes to the fatal flying knife, took only two or three breaths.

It was swift, accurate, and ruthless, without making a single unnecessary sound or leaving any obvious trace of energy fluctuations.

Zhang Lingfeng didn't need to show himself at all; he quickly disappeared into the alley.

"Cough cough!"

As Zhang Lingfeng disappeared.

Shen Qiming and Shen Pengyun have also regained their mobility.

The two were enveloped in divine light from their armor.

Although his soul was not destroyed and his body was not shattered, he was still stunned by the flying knife that came from who-knows-where.

If it weren't for the fact that one of them was the heir of the Divine Craftsman Pavilion and the other was its founder, and they weren't also skilled blacksmiths with incredibly valuable defensive magical artifacts on their bodies.

It could even withstand several attacks from the God-King; otherwise, it would have been annihilated long ago.

"Is it okay!"

Elder Shen Yuan rushed over.

As the Grand Elder of the Divine Craftsmen's Pavilion, he is no ordinary person.

His cultivation level was already close to that of a God-King, or even comparable to one.

He released his divine power.

I want to detect the fluctuations in the surrounding atmosphere.

Unfortunately, even Elder Shen Yuan was helpless against the hidden spells of a Level 3 Divine Inscription Master.

"Go back first."

He could only take Shen Qiming and Shen Pengyun back to the Divine Craftsman Pavilion.

"Young Master! Elder Peng!"

"The inner armor was almost breached!"

"Who is it? Who did it?!"

"Needless to say, in the entire White Emperor City, the only person who dares to directly attack Young Master Zhang is that Celestial Master Zhang."

"Just now... there seemed to be a very subtle fluctuation of divine runes for a moment... but it was too fast, I couldn't catch it clearly..."

"A level three divine rune master! It must be that Celestial Master Zhang!"

"Only a level three Divine Inscription Master could so easily imprison both Qiming and Elder Peng at the same time. It seems our Divine Craftsmen's Pavilion has truly angered that Celestial Master Zhang. He has no intention of resolving our grievances at all. This is revenge! Naked revenge!"

Some were filled with righteous indignation, while others were terrified and lived in constant fear.

Shen Qiming is one of the heirs of the Divine Craftsmen Pavilion, and Shen Pengyun is an elder of the Divine Craftsmen Pavilion. Both of them hold extraordinary positions.

Zhang Tianshi would launch a surprise attack if he dared, and he would go straight for the kill.

If it weren't for the incredibly powerful defensive magical artifacts on Shen Qiming and Shen Pengyun, they would probably have been annihilated long ago.

The news spread back to the headquarters of the Divine Craftsman Pavilion as quickly as a plague.

The entire Divine Craftsman's Pavilion instantly descended into chaos.

Young Master Shen Qiming and Core Elder Shen Pengyun were ambushed on their way to apologize and seek reconciliation, and were almost killed. The biggest suspect was Zhang Lingfeng's mysterious Level 3 Divine Inscription Master, Zhang Tianshi!

Fear, like an icy tide, overwhelmed the hearts of every high-ranking member of the Divine Craftsman Pavilion.

They had previously held onto a sliver of hope, believing that taking the initiative to seek peace might quell the other side's anger.

But now, the bloody reality tells them that the other party's attitude is far more hardline and ruthless than they imagined.

Should we retaliate?

An elderly elder asked.

Shen Qiming is one of the heirs of the Divine Craftsman Pavilion, and Shen Pengyun is a core member of the Shen family. Their encounters are a huge provocation, blow, and humiliation for the Divine Craftsman Pavilion.

But they knew nothing about Zhang Tianshi. The power of a third-level divine inscription master's revenge, when exerted to the fullest extent, was enough to overthrow the Divine Craftsman Pavilion.

This puts all blacksmiths in a precarious situation.

I feel anxious and fearful all the time.

They offended a decisive and ruthless level three divine rune master!

The fact that the other party was able to almost kill their important figures in Baidi City, near the Divine Craftsman Pavilion, is a chilling display of strength and audacity.

"Strengthen the defenses of all strongholds! Activate the protective array! No core member is allowed to leave without orders!"

The great elder said solemnly.

He knew this matter required careful consideration.

The Divine Craftsmen Pavilion has never suffered such a great loss.

No matter how lowly Zhang Tianshi's background is, this matter must be resolved.
However, Shen Yuan also knew that killing a level three divine inscription master was extremely difficult, and who knew if there were others behind Zhang Tianshi.

If Zhang Tianshi has an even more powerful background, then any counterattack by the Divine Craftsmen Pavilion now would be tantamount to self-destruction.

Therefore, staying calm is the most important thing right now.

Before thoroughly investigating Zhang Tianshi's identity and background, the Divine Craftsmen Pavilion should not act rashly.

"Should we report this to the City Lord's Mansion and the Divine Inscription Master Guild and request their intervention in the investigation?"

Someone suggested.

"Report a crime? Say that our young master and elders of the Divine Craftsman Pavilion were assassinated and nearly perished, and the murderer was a level three Divine Inscription Master, is that right?"

Shen Yuan countered with a question.

"This……"

The man choked.

"Even if the city lord's mansion is willing to help us, we still need to find evidence."

Shen Yuan sighed.

"This looks like a throwing knife made by Zhang Lingfeng."

Shen Qiming said.

The throwing knife is of a good quality.

Without armor, his physical body and divine power defenses can be easily broken through.

“This is indeed a throwing knife forged by Zhang Lingfeng. The throwing knife he forged at the forging competition was made with the exact same technique as this one.”

"That's what a blacksmith who's a judge at a forging tournament said."

"So what if Zhang Lingfeng forged this throwing knife?"

Shen Yuan looked exhausted.

“Master Zhang is a level three divine inscription master. Even the City Lord’s Mansion wouldn’t easily break ties with him. Besides, even the City Lord’s Mansion might not know Master Zhang’s background.”

Shen Yuan deeply regretted it.

"Are we just supposed to swallow this insult?"

Shen Qiming was somewhat unwilling.

He almost died at the hands of the other party.

"So what do you want? To take everyone from the Divine Craftsmen Pavilion and perish together with Zhang Tianshi, using all the resources and energy that the Divine Craftsmen Pavilion has accumulated over the years to deal with Zhang Tianshi alone."

Even if we manage to kill Zhang Lingfeng, once Zhang Tianshi escapes Baidi City, he will become a nightmare for all of us.

Shen Yuan tapped the table as a reminder.

The revenge of a level three divine rune master was silent and terrifying, far beyond what ordinary people could imagine. Even a god-king would be very wary of it.

Shen Qiming and Shen Pengyun were able to save their lives this time because they were wearing defensive inner armor, which could protect their physical bodies and souls. What about next time?
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