What do you mean by saying that the corpses I sew are all ominous creatures?

Upon hearing Shi Cuishan's words, a slight stirring occurred to me, and a complex mix of emotions welled up within me.

It combines the effects of gathering and nurturing evil spirits.

The forging plan he is proposing now is exactly the same as what Old Man Huo said in the blacksmith shop in the north of Jiangcheng.

At that time, Old Man Huo also offered this solution.

Now, this renowned forging master's descendant, after carefully examining the knife and top-quality materials, has reached a conclusion that is exactly the same as Old Man Huo's.

What does this tell us?

This shows that although Old Man Huo spent most of his life holed up in that inconspicuous little blacksmith shop in Jiangcheng, his forging skills and vision were absolutely top-notch in the industry.

If it weren't for his apprentice Qiu Feng's betrayal, he wouldn't have died tragically that afternoon...

Perhaps the one sitting here now, sheathing my sword, is him.

Recalling the scene of Old Man Huo entrusting his son to others before his death, a trace of regret flashed through my heart, but I quickly suppressed it.

"Master Shi has a good eye; this plan is exactly what I wanted."

I looked at Shi Cuishan and said in a complicated tone.

"Since the product is fine and the plan is finalized, let's talk about your terms."

Boss Jin said, "You don't want money, but you want me to do something for you?"

Shi Cuishan put down the thousand-year-old ebony in his hand, picked up the purple clay teapot on the table, and took a sip of strong tea from the spout.

"That's right, I, an old man, only forge blacksmiths when I feel like it; I don't need that stinking money."

Shi Cuishan put down the teapot, stared at me with sharp eyes, and slowly said.

"The matter I need you to do is in the mountains behind this town."

He paused, as if organizing his thoughts, before continuing:

There is an ancient mine shaft that has been abandoned for decades in the back mountain of Qingshi Town.

That place is very strange; deep inside the mine, there is a living underground fire vein.

Constantly nourished by the fiery energy of the earth's veins, a fire-attribute beast, possessing supernatural powers, dwells deep within the mine.

I listened quietly without interrupting, but quickly sketched out the terrain and environment of the place in my mind.

"That beast is covered in fire, has a violent temper, and its skin is thick and tough, so ordinary swords and knives can't hurt it at all."

Shi Cuishan's eyes became somewhat fanatical.

"I want you to go into that mine, kill that strange beast, and retrieve its inner core to give to me."

"As long as you bring back the inner core, I won't charge you a single penny for this scabbard, and I guarantee I'll forge it to perfection, to your satisfaction."

Hearing this, I basically understood the whole story.

However, a strange feeling arose in my heart.

Abandoned mines, underground fire veins, fire-attribute beasts, inner cores...

The combination of these words always gives me the illusion that I've wandered onto the wrong set, into a fantasy novel.

Is this still the modern society I know, which, although it harbors strangeness, is generally materialistic?

However, this thought only briefly crossed my mind before I quickly suppressed it.

On second thought, I had personally witnessed the dragon soul that had been suppressed by chains for countless years beneath the City God Temple in Lianjiang City.

I even received a sliver of its remnant soul as a gift.

In comparison, an underground fire vein and a strange beast that has become sentient don't seem so strange anymore.

This world has too many hidden corners that ordinary people cannot see.

Many things simply exist in a more primitive form.

After shaking off those strange thoughts, I brought the topic back to reality.

I didn't ask him what he wanted the inner core for.

There are rules in every industry. If someone has this need, asking too much will only annoy them.

But since it concerns me personally, I have to find out the details.

I looked at the gaunt old man opposite me and said:

"Your skill with that masculine energy just now is definitely not weak."

Moreover, this ancient mine is located in the back mountain of Qingshi Town, just a few steps away from you.

Why don't you do it yourself, instead of going to all the trouble of finding someone else to do it?

Could it be that the beast is so powerful that even you find it troublesome?

Upon hearing my question, Shi Cuishan not only didn't get angry, but instead chuckled.

He picked up the pipe on the table, tapped it on the corner, slowly stuffed in a wad of tobacco, and lit it with a match.

He didn't mince words at all, saying it directly:

"He's cautious; he won't act until he sees the benefit."

Since you asked directly, I won't beat around the bush.

Don't worry, I'm not sending you to your death.

Shi Cuishan took a puff of his pipe, exhaled a thick cloud of white smoke, and continued:

"That beast's strength, to be honest, isn't particularly strong."

If we were to translate that into the realm of cultivation within our circle, it would only be equivalent to the Core Formation stage.

He paused here, a hint of helplessness flashing across his wrinkled face:

"As for why I didn't go myself... there are two reasons."

Firstly, that thing has been living in the fire vein for many years, and its whole body is covered in fire poison. Its attributes are too similar to the cultivation method I practice.

If a fight really breaks out, neither side can gain the upper hand.

If I wanted to kill it in an environment like the Fire Pulse, it would take quite a bit of effort.

It might even lead to a lose-lose situation.

"Secondly..."

Shi Cuishan exhaled another long puff of smoke, his tone becoming somewhat vulgar and straightforward.

"At the end of the day, I'm just a blacksmith, making a living with my skills. I've never liked fighting and risking my life with people."

Besides, I'm all alone, and I don't even have an apprentice to serve me tea and water.

If I were to bump into something in the mine and suffer a serious injury, and there's no one to bring me food or prepare medicine, where would I go to seek justice?

It's not worth risking half your life for an inner core.

After listening to Shi Cuishan's explanation, I sat in my chair and fell into a brief silence.

That reason... is really quite unusual.

In my memory, those highly accomplished elders often valued face and integrity above all else.

How can someone speak so confidently about being "afraid of getting hurt and having no one to take care of them"?

However, upon closer examination, these words are quite reasonable, revealing a sense of insight and pragmatism honed through years of experience in the world.

He was a pure craftsman, not a violent killer; seeking advantage and avoiding harm is human instinct.

On second thought, if that fire-attribute beast really only had the strength of the Core Formation Realm, then this deal would be perfectly worthwhile.

My cultivation level has long been stable at the Fiend Core Realm, and my body has also fused with the trace of origin bestowed by the Dragon Soul, so my fiendish aura carries a hidden dragon might.

For birds and beasts that rely on instinct to cultivate, the dragon's might, a superior aura emanating from the depths of their bloodline, often has a suppressive effect that is twice as effective with half the effort.

Although the environment of the underground fire veins has a certain restraining effect on my cold and malevolent energy, as long as I don't get bogged down in a protracted battle.