Becoming a Martial Master: Starting as a Swordsmith

The middle-aged man stopped in front of the dilapidated temple.

He then squatted down, picked up a pinch of dust from the ground with his fingers, sniffed it, and frowned slightly.

He got up and went into the temple again. He paused for a moment at the spot where the snake demon had turned to ashes, took out a palm-sized bronze mirror from his pocket, made a hand gesture, and muttered some incantations.

The surface of the bronze mirror shimmered with a faint bluish light, reflecting some residual traces on the ground that were invisible to the naked eye.

A moment later, he put away the bronze mirror, his expression turning somewhat grim.

"It's definitely the scent left behind by that traitor," he said in a deep voice.

"He fought someone here, and... he's dead."

Upon hearing this, the two young men behind him both paled: "Dead? He stole the mountain lord's spiritual plant and even kidnapped it... and he's just dead like that? Can we still detect any other traces of him?"

The middle-aged man shook his head:

"The aura stopped there. We can't sense the spiritual plants or their whereabouts. The person who made the move either has a method to conceal their aura, or... they've already gone far away."

He remained silent for a moment, then turned and walked out of the temple gate, a cold glint in his eyes:

"Chase them! No matter who killed them, we must retrieve the spiritual plants! If we fail to catch them and the mountain lord blames us, none of the three of us can bear that responsibility."

The three dark figures flickered and disappeared into the mountains and forests.

......

Shen Chu and his two companions traveled at a rapid pace.

The boy and woman looked frail, but their footwork was surprisingly strong.

In less than half a day, they had already arrived outside Qingyang County.

As the city walls of Qingyang County slowly came into view at the edge of the horizon, Shen Chu paused involuntarily.

The city wall was over three zhang high, constructed entirely of massive, bluish-gray stones. Having withstood the test of time, its surface was covered with mottled marks of history.

Banners fluttered atop the city wall, and the patrolling soldiers' armor gleamed, reflecting a cold light in the sunlight.

The city gate was wide open, about two zhang (approximately 6.6 meters) in width, large enough for four or five carriages to pass side by side, and people were constantly flowing in and out of the city.

The cacophony of sounds blended together, forming a bustling and noisy torrent that rushed towards us.

Standing outside the city gate, Shen Chu gazed at the magnificent city before him, a feeling of indescribable emotion welling up within him.

Since transmigrating to this fantasy world, he has wandered with refugees, and the largest city he has seen since then is Changping County.

The Qingyang prefecture city before them, in terms of scale, grandeur, and prosperity, far surpassed Changping County.

No wonder Li Chengwen always had a look of reverence on his face when he talked about Qingyang County.

The boy and woman behind him were also seeing this scene for the first time.

The boy's eyes widened as he scanned the city gates, walls, and the passing crowds. After a long pause, he finally managed to utter a single sentence:

"Wow...what a huge city!"

After a brief check, the three followed the flow of people into the city.

Although the woman did not speak, her eyes also showed the same amazement. She tightly gripped the boy's clothes, as if afraid of getting lost in the sea of ​​people.

Shen Chu then withdrew her gaze, took a deep breath, and turned to the boy and woman, saying:

"Alright, we've arrived at Qingyang County. Where are your distant relatives in the city? Let's part ways here."

Upon hearing this, the boy's excitement vanished instantly, replaced by panic.

He quickly stepped forward and said urgently, "My benefactor! We...we still want to follow you!"

Shen Chu looked at him speechlessly, and patiently explained:

"Young man, strictly speaking, I'm not exactly your benefactor. We killed that snake demon together; without your blow, I might already be dead. If we're talking about favors, it's that we owe each other. We met by chance, and traveled together through mountains and rivers. Now that we've reached Qingyang County, we should part ways. It's not a good idea for you to keep following me like this."

The boy stubbornly shook his head: "No! If it weren't for your help, my mother and I would have been killed by that snake demon long ago. Although I'm young, I know the principle of repaying kindness. Wherever you go, we'll follow! I won't be a burden to you. I... I can work, I can run errands, I can do anything!"

Shen Chu rubbed her temples, feeling a bit of a headache.

He certainly couldn't be running around with a mother and child.

Putting aside the suspicious circumstances surrounding the mother and son, Shen Chu herself also harbors considerable secrets.

Besides, he has a lot of things to do, and taking two burdens with him would be suicidal.

He was about to say something more and then force his way out when he suddenly heard a familiar voice behind him, tinged with surprise and delight:

"Shen Chu? It's you! You've come!"

Shen Chu turned around abruptly and saw a fat man in a brocade robe with a big smile striding toward him. It was none other than Li Chengwen!

What a coincidence!

Li Chengwen enthusiastically grabbed Shen Chu's arm and looked her up and down.

Seeing that he looked travel-worn but in good spirits, he felt relieved and laughed heartily, "I was thinking of making a detour to Wangchuan County to find you after I finished things here! Can you still find your relatives' house? I was worried you wouldn't be able to get back alone, and I was wondering how to explain it to you. I didn't expect you to come looking for me yourself! You're so loyal!"

Shen Chu smiled and replied, "I went back there, but I don't have any relatives to rely on. After thinking about it, I decided to come to Qingyang County to find you, young master. I was delayed on the way, but luckily I made it in time."

"Perfect timing! You've come at the perfect time!" Li Chengwen patted his shoulder, his face beaming. "I've been so bored these past few days, your arrival is perfect for showing me around!"

As he spoke, his gaze naturally fell on the young man and woman behind Shen Chu, and he casually asked, "By the way, who are these two...?"

He stopped mid-sentence, his gaze fixed on the woman's face, and his voice abruptly ceased.

His eyes seemed to be held captive by something, fixed on the woman for a long time without looking away.

The woman was about thirty-seven or thirty-eight years old, and her face still bore the marks of travel and weariness.

In terms of appearance, she wouldn't be considered stunningly beautiful; her features were simply regular and delicate. However, her eyes were exceptionally bright, and she had a gentle and serene demeanor, exuding an indescribable tranquility and tenderness.

A faint blush rose on her cheeks as Li Chengwen stared at her intently, making her appear even more gentle and charming.

Shen Chu was taken aback when she saw Li Chengwen's appearance, and her lips twitched slightly.

Having watched countless films in her past life, Shen Chu naturally knew that Li Chengwen was captivated.

However, this fat guy has rather unique tastes; he actually likes the older, respectable type?