Becoming a Martial Master: Starting as a Swordsmith

PS: I had some family matters to attend to today, so please forgive me for the short update!

The following is the body:

Until the Longchuan Sword Sect's figures completely disappeared.

Shen Chu slowly loosened his grip on the knife.

His back was soaked with cold sweat.

After letting out a long breath, Shen Chu turned to look at the Miss Situ and cupped his hands in greeting:

"Thank you for your help, young lady."

Miss Situ waved her hand and said with a smile, "Don't thank me, thank Senior Sister Li instead. If it weren't for her influence, Senior Brother Zhao wouldn't have been so accommodating."

As she spoke, she turned to look at Li Chengwen and winked:

"Brother Li, my senior sister asked me to tell you that she's finished with her business and will be free to see you tomorrow. Please bring your friends with you; she'll be very happy to hear you're coming."

Upon hearing this, Li Chengwen happily replied, "Ah, my dear sister has time! That's great!"

Then, Miss Situ glanced in the direction where the Longchuan Sword Sect had disappeared, then looked at Shen Chu and Li Chengwen, and said:

"Although Senior Brother Zhao has retired today, given his personality, he might still try to sabotage you behind your backs. Do you have a safe place to stay in Qingyang County?"

Li Chengwen scratched his head, somewhat embarrassed, and said:

"We originally found an inn, but then this whole mess happened..."

Miss Situ then smiled gently:

"In that case, come with me. The academy has a quiet, unused courtyard in the south of the city. You can stay there for now. We'll make further plans after we meet Senior Sister Li tomorrow."

Upon hearing this, Li Chengwen was overjoyed and repeatedly clasped his hands in thanks.

"Thank you so much, Miss Situ! Thank you so much, Miss Situ! This has been a great help!"

As he thanked her, he couldn't help but glance back at the woman, his eyes filled with a hint of smug satisfaction, as if to say:

Look, I'm a well-known and influential person here.

The woman noticed his gaze, lowered her head slightly, and did not respond.

It was the young man who spoke first, while the woman was still hesitating about whether to accept his kindness: "Thank you, young lady, thank you, sir. We'll be troubling you then."

Shen Chu glanced at the boy, a slight thought stirring in her heart.

From the time he was with the snake demon until now, this boy has always acted quite precociously, and his speech and actions have been calm and composed for his age.

Is his quick agreement a genuine expression of trust in Miss Situ, or is he considering something else?

However, now is not the time to delve into this.

Shen Chu herself needed a stable place to rest and plan her next move, so she didn't say anything more and followed Miss Situ.

Miss Situ led the group through several streets and alleys, finally stopping deep in a secluded alley.

She pushed open a vermilion wooden door, revealing a small and elegant courtyard.

The courtyard wasn't large, but it was kept very clean, with an osmanthus tree planted in the center.

There was a stone table and benches under the tree, three main rooms, and two side rooms; it wasn't exactly luxurious.

But compared to an inn, it's so much quieter.

Miss Situ stood at the door, not going in, but simply handing the key to Li Chengwen and smiling:

"You can stay here for now. Just let me know if you need anything. Everyone living around here is a respectable family. There are no outsiders here. No matter how far the Longchuan Sword Sect's influence extends, they can't reach this area."

Li Chengwen took the keys, almost moved to tears, and thanked them profusely.

The woman and the boy also whispered, "Thank you, young lady."

Shen Chu clasped his hands in a gesture of respect and solemnly expressed his gratitude.

Miss Situ waved her hand, indicating that there was no need to be so polite.

But she didn't leave immediately; instead, she slowly shifted her gaze to Shen Chu.

Her bright, large eyes held an undisguised curiosity and inquiry as she looked him up and down, then suddenly spoke:

"Young man, I noticed you remained calm and composed when you confronted Senior Brother Zhao just now. Your hand and knife were steady; you're not an ordinary passerby. Your martial arts are impressive, and you have considerable courage. May I ask your background and where you cultivate?"

Upon hearing Miss Situ's question, Shen Chu's heart tightened slightly, and she was about to give a vague and perfunctory answer when...

However, before he could speak, Li Chengwen, standing to the side, beat him to it, patting him on the shoulder with a carefree air and saying proudly to Miss Situ:

"Miss Situ, don't underestimate him! Shen Chu is a swordsmith in our Li family's sword-forging compound. He learned all his skills from our family's guards! He's exceptionally talented, there's nothing we can do about it!"

Upon hearing this, Shen Chu's lips twitched slightly, and a complex mix of emotions welled up within her.

Although Li Chengwen's words were meant to praise him, they somehow gave off the impression that "my friend is amazing, so I'm amazing too."

However, he couldn't very well embarrass the young master in front of outsiders, so he could only swallow back the words that were on the tip of his tongue and force out a polite but awkward smile.

However, upon hearing Li Chengwen's words, Miss Situ's bright eyes suddenly lit up.

She stared intently at Shen Chu, as if she had discovered an extremely interesting treasure, looking him up and down several times, her tone filled with undisguised amazement and admiration:

"You learned from the guards? You're self-taught and have skills like that? That's truly amazing!"

She took half a step forward, tilted her head, and looked at Shen Chu with curiosity in her eyes:

"Young Master Shen Chu, your talent is truly remarkable. You've already managed to hold your own against the disciples of the Longchuan Sword Sect after just a few moves from the guards. If you were to receive guidance from a master, what would become of you? Given time, wouldn't you be on a roll?"

Shen Chu, stared at so intently and showered with such lavish praise, found himself somewhat overwhelmed, even by his usual thick skin.

After coughing a few times, he looked away and said in a low voice, "Miss Situ, you flatter me. It was just good luck."

"Luck is also a part of ability!"

Miss Situ waved her hand with a smile, not pressing for further questions, but the interest in her eyes remained undiminished.

She looked Shen Chu up and down again, but didn't press further. Instead, she changed the subject, pointed to the layout of the courtyard, and casually introduced it:

"This yard isn't big, but it has everything you need. There's rice and vegetables in the kitchen, and the well is in the backyard, and it's very clean. Oh, by the way, turn left and walk two blocks, there's a restaurant there that's pretty good. If you're too lazy to cook, you can grab a bite there."

She paused, then, as if remembering something, added, "There's one more thing. There are quite a few books in this courtyard. Many of them are related to martial arts cultivation. If you're interested, you can take a look."

He does not mean that.

When Shen Chu heard Miss Situ mention the books, her heart skipped a beat again.