Druid Fairy

Chapter 143 Accountability
"Ding! Dang!"

Each hammer blow was precise and powerful, sending sparks flying.

Li Pingcan walked to the stall, watched quietly for a while, and did not make a sound to disturb it.

Only after the burly man put the iron blank back into the furnace did he clasp his hands and speak, his voice hoarse: "I wish to forge a flying sword."

This weapon refiner was a well-known rogue weapon refiner in this area. He used to be a weapon refiner from a sect, but due to some unforeseen circumstances, he ended up in the wilderness and made a living by refining weapons.

Such independent cultivators with specialized skills are rare, which is why Li Pingcan was exceptionally polite.

The burly man raised his head, his voice as hard and cold as the iron hammer in his hand: "Materials? Spirit stones?"

"I'll provide the materials myself," Li Pingcan said, taking out the piece of star iron and the raw material for the halberd he obtained from the Tomb of the Martial God from his storage bag and placing them on his stall.

As soon as the Star Iron appeared, the surrounding air seemed to sink slightly, its deep color seemingly able to absorb even the light.

Although the halberd was broken, it was still shrouded in a menacing aura.

"Um!?"

The burly man suddenly stood up, grabbed the piece of star iron, and carefully rubbed it, letting out a sound of amazement.

"Great iron! Great iron indeed! The weight and the quality of this iron—it's at least a top-grade first-level spiritual material! Where did you get this from, kid?"

He picked up the halberd again, feeling the tangible killing intent within it, and his expression became increasingly excited, even showing a hint of fanaticism.

"An ancient weapon of war! It was nurtured by the will to fight and sharpened by slaughter! What a pity! If it were intact, it would have been an earth-shattering weapon of war! Now that its spirituality has been lost and its evil aura has dissipated, it can only be reforged and its essence extracted to forge a flying sword for you."

He looked at Li Pingcan with burning eyes, "Tell me, what kind of sword do you want to forge?"

"I need a sword that can bear the power of the five elements."

Li Pingcan shared his thoughts: "The sword should be light, fast, and sharp, and ideally, it should be able to be used in conjunction with formations."

"The power of the five elements? And you still need to activate the formation?"

Upon hearing this, the burly man frowned, then relaxed, revealing an excited smile on his face.

“Interesting! Interesting! Ordinary flying swords only pursue the ultimate sharpness and speed. Your requirements are novel. However, the difficulty of forging them is not small, and the mental effort and materials required are far beyond those of ordinary flying swords.”

"Rewards are not a problem." Li Pingcan has made a fortune by picking up bargains and can now be called a "first-generation rich man". If it weren't for the fear that the second-tier Jiang Python meat would be coveted by Yin Qi, he could easily have dealt with the weapon refiner.

Even so, in order to pay the reward, he suffered a "heavy loss," losing most of the battlefield's spoils.

"This is a 30% deposit. The remainder will be paid after the deal is done."

"make a deal."

The burly man nodded in satisfaction. The ordinary-looking middle-aged rogue cultivator in front of him was so wealthy that even he, a seasoned veteran of the black market, was astonished.

"However, let me make this clear beforehand: the risk of failure in forging this kind of flying sword is extremely high. If it succeeds, all the better. But if it fails, the deposit will not be refunded!"

"It's a deal." Li Pingcan didn't take it seriously; this was the rule of the market.

"readily!"

The burly man laughed loudly and put away all the materials. "My name is Tie Zhong, and I keep my word! Come here to collect the sword in seven days."

After saying that, he ignored Li Pingcan, turned around and went back to the furnace, and immediately began to smelt materials.

Seeing this, Li Pingcan stopped disturbing them and turned to blend into the crowd.

For the past three days, he did not leave the market for rogue cultivators. Instead, he found a secluded corner in the market, set up a simple concealment formation, meditated quietly, and also looked around to see if he could find any good things.

Although this ghost market is a melting pot of all sorts of people, it is precisely because of this that unexpected "surprises" often occur.

The stall owner in front of me was a middle-aged cultivator with sunken eyes. He was listlessly leaning against the stone wall, dozing off. There were many items scattered in front of him, including a dusty alchemy furnace.

"Fellow Daoist, how much is this alchemy furnace?"

The stall owner lazily lifted one eyelid and said listlessly, "See for yourself, the prices are clearly marked."

Li Pingcan looked in the direction he was pointing and saw a small wooden sign with prices written on it in crooked handwriting.

"First-tier, low-grade, thirty mid-grade spirit stones?"

"First-tier, mid-grade, sixty mid-grade spirit stones?"

Li Pingcan was secretly amazed; the prices in this black market for independent cultivators were truly outrageous.

Although the prices are high, there are still some good ones.

He looked at a pill furnace about half a person's height in the corner, probed it with his divine sense, and carefully sensed it.

'The furnace walls are even, and although the flow of spiritual energy is slightly sluggish, that's due to long-term disuse and accumulated dust. Yet it's placed in the most inconspicuous spot; clearly, the stall owner doesn't know its value.'

This was someone he had chosen for his son, Li Mengze.

Although there are alchemy halls available at the academy, it is ultimately not as convenient as having one of your own.

How much is this one that doesn't have a price tag?

"Which one?" The stall owner glanced at it. "A mid-grade first-tier alchemy furnace, sixty mid-grade spirit stones, take it."

Li Pingcan frowned and said with a look of disdain, "Fellow Daoist, that's not very kind of you. There's already a tiny crack on the bottom of this alchemy furnace. If you take it back, it'll probably explode as soon as you start using it. I think it's only worth about the same as a low-grade alchemy furnace."

The stall owner argued vehemently, "This is a treasure I risked my life to dig out of an ancient cultivator's cave. I won't sell it for less than a single piece!"

"An ancient cave dwelling? With your Qi Refining Level 3 cultivation, you probably wouldn't even have gotten close to the cave before being eaten by the gatekeeper monsters, would you?"

Li Pingcan retorted without any politeness, "This alchemy furnace, twenty spirit stones. You can sell it or not, I'm leaving. I'll go check out Master Tie up ahead."

As he spoke, he made a move to leave.

"Hey! Fellow Daoist, wait a moment!"

When the stall owner saw him about to leave, he panicked. In his eyes, this alchemy furnace was a defective product that he had been holding onto for almost a year. Few people had asked about it, and even fewer had bought it. He had finally found a sucker, and he couldn't let him get away.

"Twenty-five! Fellow Daoist, twenty-five low-grade spirit stones, this is a rock-bottom price!"

"Ten dollars."

"Twenty! No less than that! I originally bought it for eighteen!"

After a heated debate, with spittle flying everywhere, Li Pingcan finally won the bid for twenty low-grade spirit stones.

The stall owner shoved the alchemy furnace into his hands, muttering repeatedly, "What a loss, what a loss."

Li Pingcan also showed a pained expression on his face. He put the alchemy furnace into his storage bag and left without looking back.

They soon arrived at a stall selling flying swords and magical artifacts.

The stall owner was shrouded in a black robe, and there were only three swords on his stall, each one sharp and menacing, clearly weapons of slaughter that had drunk blood.

"Fellow Daoist, take this sword?" The black-robed man's voice was hoarse.

Li Pingcan's gaze fell on one of the short swords, which was entirely black and had a long, slender blade.

This sword is about two feet long. There are no fancy patterns on the blade, only a faint blood groove, which exudes a restrained sharpness.

"How much for this sword?"

The man in black robes glanced at him, seemingly somewhat surprised. "Fellow Daoist has discerning eyes. This sword is named 'Shadow Fang,' and it excels at concealment and breaking through defenses. It's a mid-grade first-tier sword, costing fifty-five low-grade spirit stones."

This price is reasonable.

Li Pingcan picked up "Shadow Fang," which felt slightly cool to the touch. He infused it with a wisp of magic power and felt the sword vibrate. A sharp aura instantly emanated from the blade, making him feel a sense of threat.

"What a sword!"

“My son Mengjin is born with a sword physique, and this ‘Shadow Fang’ sword is compatible with his attributes, making it perfect for him,” he thought to himself.

"Fellow Daoist, this sword is indeed excellent, but its killing intent is too strong, and it is filled with malevolent energy. Only those with a firm will can wield it, and there is a risk of backlash. How about forty low-grade spirit stones?"

"Fifty-three," the man in black robes said succinctly.

"Fifty, that's my final price." Li Pingcan was too lazy to argue any further.

The man in black robes was silent for a moment, then nodded: "Deal."

Li Pingcan readily paid the spirit stones and took "Shadow Fang" into his possession.

The alchemy furnace was given to Mengze, and Yingya was given to Mengjin; these were gifts from their father to his sons.

Several more days passed.

In exchange for a few bottles of ordinary Qi-gathering pills, he obtained a book called "Records of Strange Things in the Southern Frontier," which contained many strange and unusual stories, from an old Taoist priest who was addicted to alcohol.

What attracted him most in the book was a peculiar demonic insect called the "Gold-Eating Ant." This insect feeds exclusively on various metal ores, and its excrement is a rare material called "Ant Gold," which can greatly enhance the spiritual power of magical artifacts. "If I could contract a swarm of Gold-Eating Ants, wouldn't I never have to worry about materials when crafting magical treasures in the future?"

As Li Pingcan pondered this in his heart, he felt more and more that this trip was well worth it.

…………

Seven days later, he arrived at the iron bell's stall as promised.

"Ding!"

A clear, resonant sword cry echoed throughout the entire valley.

Tie Zhong held a brand-new longsword in his hand. The blade was long and thin, like autumn water, and its entire body was a deep, dark black color, which was refined from star iron.

The sword has no fancy patterns on its blade, yet it naturally exudes a flowing light.

A sharp yet restrained sword intent emanated from the sword, causing the surrounding air to distort slightly.

"What a sword!"

Li Pingcang's eyes lit up instantly. He could feel that the sword seemed to have a life of its own, resonating with the sword intent within his body.

"Hmph, you've got good taste, kid."

Tie Zhong handed over the sword, his face full of heartache and reluctance, as if he were giving away his daughter. "I named this sword 'Awakening of Insects'. It is made of star iron as the main material, infused with the essence of ancient weapon spirits, and tempered with materials of the five elements. It is incomparably sharp and can bear the power of the five elements. It can flow according to your will and has endless wonderful uses."

He paused, a hint of arrogance flashing in his eyes: "This is no ordinary first-tier magic weapon, but a 'quasi-magic treasure' that's halfway to the second tier! Kid, I've used up all my hidden treasures for this sword! If you pay less than the final amount, you won't be leaving this valley today!"

Li Pingcan took the "Awakening of Insects" sword. It felt slightly heavy in his hand, and without any deliberate effort, the magic power within his body automatically resonated with the sword.

With a thought, a layer of cyan wood-elemental spiritual energy instantly covered the sword, emanating a sense of endless vitality.

In a flash, the azure light transformed into a blazing crimson flame, the intense heat raising the surrounding temperature.

"Good! Good! Good!"

Li Pingcan was overjoyed; this "Awakening of Insects" was even more perfect than he had imagined!
He readily paid the remaining balance.

Tie Zhong accepted the spirit stones, his reluctance fading slightly. He looked at Li Pingcan and said, "If you ever come across any good refining materials in the future, remember to come find me. The price is negotiable!"

"must!"

Li Pingcan smiled, clasped his hands in a fist salute, sheathed the Jingzhe Sword, and turned to leave.

But as soon as he turned around, Tie Zhong called out to him.

"and many more!"

Tie Zhong handed over a dark iron plaque. "This is my token. If anyone dares to cause you trouble in this area, just show this, and I'll keep you safe."

He paused, then added, "However, once you leave this valley, whether you live or die depends on your own fate. You're carrying a valuable treasure, so many people are probably eyeing it."

Li Pingcan took the iron plaque and saw a crookedly engraved "Iron" on it. He felt a warmth in his heart. "Thank you for the reminder, Master Iron. Farewell."

Having said that, he didn't linger any longer. His figure transformed into a wisp of green smoke and quickly disappeared at the end of the valley.

Watching his departing figure, Tie Zhong seemed lost in thought.

"This kid is something else. I hope he doesn't die too soon."

…………

Inside the Qingyang County Government Office.

Wei Yanzheng was listening to his subordinate's report, his face so gloomy it could drip water.

"Are you saying that the people from the Divine Blade Sect and Cloud Valley are shifting the blame onto me?" His voice was hoarse, carrying a hint of barely suppressed anger.

The subordinate bowed and said, "My lord, they said... it was your poor command and Chen Batian's greed for merit that led to the demon python's premature advancement and heavy casualties."

"fart!"

Wei Yanzheng slammed his hand on the table. "A bunch of useless good-for-nothings! If they hadn't coveted the demon core, would they have alerted the enemy? Now look what they've done, they've tried to pin all the blame on me!"

He was filled with anger and resentment, but there was nothing he could do.

After all, he was the commander-in-chief of this operation. If something went wrong, he would have to take the blame, whether he wanted to or not.

Just as he was getting increasingly agitated, a guard came running in, stumbling and crawling.

"My lord! Something terrible has happened! The Su family patriarch's wife has stormed in!"

"What!?"

Upon hearing this, Wei Yanzheng felt an even greater headache.

Su Qingyun? That infamous crazy woman? What's she doing here?
Before he could figure it out, a chilling sword intent had already enveloped the entire back hall.

Su Qingyun, dressed in white and holding a long sword called Autumn Water, appeared at the door with a fierce look on her pretty face.

"Wei Yanzheng!"

Her voice was colder than the winter wind and snow, "Where is my daughter?"

"Mrs. Su?"

Wei Yanzheng's brows furrowed instantly, and he asked in a cold voice, "What do you mean by that, Madam Su? Hasn't your daughter been cultivating in seclusion at the Su family home? When has she ever come to my Qingyang County?"

"Li Qian, a disciple of the Seven Star Sect, is my daughter, Su Huanuan! Now that her soul lamp is shattered and her body is gone, do you dare say it has nothing to do with you?"

Su Qingyun was filled with rage.

To ensure the purity of its disciples, the Seven Stars Sect never accepts disciples from aristocratic families. She had been plotting for many years, even resorting to forbidden techniques to steal her daughter's destiny and replace her spiritual bones, all in order to allow her daughter to join the Seven Stars Sect and to plot a secret method of the sect.

That concerns the Su family's fortune for the next hundred years!
However, he died mysteriously while defending against the beast plague in Qingyang County. Wei Yanzheng, the celestial official in charge of the war, is to blame!
Upon hearing this, Wei Yanzheng suddenly understood, and then felt even deeper contempt.

"So that's how it is! I knew a country girl couldn't possibly have a top-grade spiritual root. Turns out, it was all a trick played by you aristocratic families!"

He felt disdain, but he also knew that this matter could not be resolved peacefully, as the Foundation Establishment ancestor of the Su family was notoriously unreasonable.

His face immediately adopted a "grief" expression, and he let out a long sigh.

"I see, Madam Su, please accept my condolences! This matter was also due to my oversight. On the day the beasts attacked the city, your daughter's Seven Star Sect team was responsible for the southern defense line, but the beasts were too powerful..."

"I don't want to hear this nonsense!" Su Qingyun interrupted sharply. "I only want to ask you, who made the mistake that put my daughter in danger!"

"This……"

Wei Yanzheng had been waiting for these words. He feigned hesitation, his face displaying just the right amount of difficulty: "Madam Su, this matter concerns the generals in my army..."

Su Qingyun sneered, "You don't want to offend the Su family, do you?"

"Alright." Wei Yanzheng sighed, looked at his subordinate beside him, and asked, "Who was in charge of the southern defense line back then?"

The subordinate hesitated for a moment.

The person in charge of the southern defense line was Li Pingfu, but Su Huanuan's death had nothing to do with it. The two from the Seven Star Sect disappeared in the camp on their own, and their fate has been unknown ever since. It was obvious that they were tracking the river python.

Of course, since Su Qingyun is only now coming to hold her accountable, she has most likely investigated the cause of her daughter's death and may not be unaware of this matter.

Wei Yanzheng was also very perceptive. He knew that how the two died was not important. What mattered was that both sides wanted to shift the blame and hold each other accountable in order to extract benefits or avoid trouble.

The only innocent party is Li Pingfu, who made outstanding contributions from beginning to end and is now supporting other counties.

Li Pingfu has a very high reputation and a long-standing relationship with the Mu family. If he tries to shift the blame like this, he might get himself into trouble.

He wanted to offer advice, but faced with Wei Yanzheng's cold, warning gaze, he had no choice but to lower his head and say, "Li Pingfu, the county magistrate of Yunshui County."

"Li Pingfu?"

As Su Qingyun uttered the name, a murderous glint appeared in his eyes.

Regardless of the complexities involved, she only knew that these mortals were less than pigs or dogs, and it was only right for them to be buried with Nuan'er.

She sheathed her sword and gave Wei Yanzheng a cold look. "I will find out the truth about this matter myself, but you can't get away with it! My daughter's death is not the end of the matter between us!"

After saying that, she swayed and transformed into a white rainbow, disappearing from the county government office.

"Finally, we've gotten rid of this plague god."

Wei Yanzheng was speechless and helpless. If he hadn't been seriously injured, why would he have bothered to play along with this unreasonable woman?

Of course, he never considered whether the martial artist he had shifted the blame to was innocent.

Whether Li Pingfu is dead or alive, wronged or innocent, what does it matter to him?
He was just a warrior; to become a sacrifice to appease the wrath of the immortals was his greatest honor.

(End of this chapter)