Chapter 21: Testing

Long Qi walked out carrying a teapot and a cup. He took several large gulps, sat back in the chair, and shifted his body to find the most comfortable position. “Let me introduce him to you. His name is Tong Fei, but this guy is both stupid and stubborn; he definitely won’t be able to ‘fly’ in this lifetime.”

Su Tang smiled and looked at the blacksmith named Tong Fei. The other man remained focused on the work in his hands, ignoring Long Qi’s provocation.

“Don’t look down on him. His skills are quite impressive. In our Miaodao Pavilion, he is definitely among the top three.”

“Miaodao Pavilion?” Su Tang asked, puzzled.

“Changshan County has the Miaodao Pavilion, Kaiyuan County has the Four Seas Tower, and even the famous Heaven-Reaching City has the Evil Tiger Platform. In essence, they are all the same; only the names are different,” Long Qi said.

“Then what does our Miaodao Pavilion… usually do?” Su Tang asked.

“What else could we do?” Long Qi said very seriously, “Help others and do good deeds.”

Are you kidding me… Su Tang felt a vein pop on his forehead. Was he going to tell him about some moral code next?

“Cough…” Long Qi coughed dryly and smiled again. “To put it simply, it’s eight words: take people’s money, remove people’s disasters.”

Su Tang understood a little, but not entirely. “Brother Long, could you be more specific?”

“Tong Fei became famous overnight when he was nine years old,” Long Qi changed the subject. “He was somewhat unfortunate because his mother was promiscuous and indecent, hooking up with many lovers outside. That wasn’t the main issue, but one day, his mother could not resist the temptation of one lover, and together they strangled his father to death at night.”

“He saw the tragedy happen and endured it in silence, finally waiting for his chance. His mother and the lover got dead drunk and slept like pigs after some intimacy. He pulled out a hammer he had prepared long ago and crept over secretly.” Long Qi suddenly paused. “Shorty, I remember now. The time interval between those two events… was about four months. You certainly weren’t idle. You were either secretly practicing your strength or practicing some Martial Formula you got from somewhere, right? Eh… you knew how to read at age nine? Hehe, your father had high expectations for you. Given your family background as a child, he actually spent money to let you learn to read.”

The blacksmith named Tong Fei remained expressionless, while Su Tang frowned slightly. Although he didn’t know the man, he realized that this was definitely the blacksmith’s deepest inner trauma. Long Qi was too cruel; he not only heartlessly ripped open the scar but also used it as a joke.

“A total release… he smashed hundreds, even thousands of hammer blows in one go. Do you know what meat paste is? It might not sound like much, but the neighbors who heard the noise and the soldiers who arrived upon hearing the news either fainted on the spot or ran away vomiting uncontrollably,” Long Qi said. “Later, he changed his name and came to Changshan County, starting as a blacksmith’s apprentice until now. Haha… I bet he chose this trade because he got addicted to smashing. Look at his expression—so serious, so focused, completely immersed in it.”

The blacksmith named Tong Fei stopped his movements and looked at the roaring furnace thoughtfully.

“Come, Su Tang, sit here. You must be tired too, have some water.” Long Qi pointed to the side. “For today, just get to know each other. You will have plenty of time to deal with each other in the future, so take your time.”

Su Tang walked over slowly and sat beside Long Qi.

The blacksmith named Tong Fei suddenly raised his hammer again and smashed it viciously onto the iron anvil in front of him. His strength was immense; Su Tang could see the hammer handle bend slightly.

Clang… A piercing crash exploded. Long Qi was startled, and the cup in his hand flipped over, spilling tea. He covered his ears with his hands, a look of pain on his face, and shouted, “Shorty, what are you doing?!”

Su Tang’s reaction was much stronger than Long Qi’s. Although his ears also rang from the vibration, the hand holding his teacup was as steady as cast iron, not moving an inch.

The blacksmith named Tong Fei suddenly turned around and stared intently at Su Tang. Su Tang entered a state of readiness, but his expression remained calm as he quietly stared back.

After a moment, Tong Fei’s gaze fell on Su Tang’s hand holding the cup. He smiled, slowly turned back, put down the hammer as if nothing had happened, and said in a muffled voice, “He is stronger than you.”

Long Qi was still complaining, but hearing this, a smile reappeared on his face. “So, I passed the test?” Then he looked at Su Tang and said, “Alright, let’s go.”

Until Long Qi and Su Tang left, Tong Fei didn’t look at them a second time. Standing on the street, Long Qi remained silent for a moment and whispered, “As expected of the Grand Exalted; this ability to judge people is far beyond what we can compare to. Hehe… honestly, I didn’t expect you to gain his recognition.”

“Is this important?”

“Of course,” Long Qi replied flatly.

“What exactly does he do? Is he really a blacksmith?” Su Tang asked. When Tong Fei stared at him, the Malevolent Qi pouring from his eyes was extremely thick. Fortunately, it was the current Su Tang; the original Su Tang would have been scared paralyzed long ago.

“Are you asking about the daytime or the nighttime?” Long Qi asked.

“During the day?”

“Hammering iron.”

“And at night?” Su Tang already had a vague answer in his mind.

“Hammering people,” Long Qi said. “But sometimes he hammers people during the day too; you can’t really be sure about these things.”

“Is he… an assassin?” Su Tang felt more and more that this Miaodao Pavilion was likely an organization with mafia-like characteristics.

“An assassin? You’re thinking too simply,” Long Qi laughed. Then he stopped walking and frowned. “I was so happy that you passed the test that I forgot one thing.”

“What thing?”

“On what basis did he say you are stronger than me? Stronger in what way?” Long Qi said, “No, I have to go back and ask him!” Having said that, Long Qi turned around to go back.

Su Tang didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. Was a random comment really worth being this serious about?

After walking a few steps, Long Qi turned back and said, “Forget it, it won’t be too late to find him later. The main business is more important.”

Su Tang breathed a sigh of relief. As they walked, Long Qi said, “I intentionally brought up Tong Fei’s past just now. Did you feel I was being a bit excessive?”

“It was a bit excessive,” Su Tang replied honestly.

This answer was somewhat unexpected for Long Qi. He looked at Su Tang with surprise and sighed softly. “I had to do it, because I cannot fail the Grand Exalted’s entrustment, and also because I must make him trust you completely.”

“What does this have to do with trust?”

“You will understand in the future.”

“What if he just doesn’t trust me?”

“Then big trouble will happen sooner or later,” Long Qi said.

Su Tang stopped asking and silently followed Long Qi. Before long, Long Qi pushed open a black courtyard gate and stepped into a small courtyard. He was very familiar with the place; he didn’t go through the main hall, but instead passed through a side gate and walked toward the backyard.

Su Tang scanned the surroundings. Although this place was somewhat remote, it occupied a large area. The owner of the courtyard must have high status in Changshan County. Following Long Qi into the backyard, Su Tang suddenly heard pleasant ringing bells coming from ahead. He couldn’t help but smile, thinking he would meet another character full of Malevolent Qi like Tong Fei. After seeing the scenery, he realized he was wrong; the owner here was definitely an elegant scholar.

Under the eaves and within the vast bamboo forest, rows upon rows of wind chimes were hung. As the breeze blew, countless wind chimes swayed with the wind, producing a moving, heavenly sound.

In front of the bamboo forest was a pavilion. Inside the pavilion, besides the stone table and chairs, there was a lounge chair. A small wine jar sat on the stone table; it had been opened, and waves of rich wine fragrance drifted toward him along with the sound of the wind chimes.

There was a person on the lounge chair. Hearing the footsteps, he turned his head to look this way and then revealed a gentle smile.

“Let me introduce him, this is Su Tang. From now on, my affairs will be handed over to him,” Long Qi said, then naturally sat on a stone chair. “His name is Xiao Buhui. This… this guy is very mysterious. Where he is from, what he did in the past, and what he did behind my back after we met—I know nothing at all, truly nothing. He often disappears, but he always appears when I need him most. So, I can forgive him.”

Xiao Buhui smiled and nodded to Su Tang, and Su Tang nodded in return. He then walked to the front of the bamboo forest and curiously toyed with a wind chime. The material of the wind chime was very strange; it was very light, like wood, yet very hard, like stone. It felt very smooth to the touch, as if it had been carefully polished. Su Tang looked at it for a long time but could not tell what material it was made of.

“I have always believed, and I still believe, that this guy is the most deserving of death in Changshan County.” Long Qi showed a fake smile and said slowly, “Su Tang, be careful. When I first came here, I also liked these wind chimes. But by the time I left, I wished I could chop off my own hand. I hope you won’t be like me.”

“Why?” Su Tang looked at Xiao Buhui, puzzled.

“This guy has an extremely disgusting hobby. Every time he kills a person, he makes one wind chime.” Long Qi watched Su Tang’s expression. “That’s right, all the wind chimes are made from human bones!”

Before Long Qi’s voice had faded, Xiao Buhui also turned his head and looked at Su Tang.

In Su Tang’s vision, the surrounding scenery suddenly underwent a world-shaking change. The pleasant ringing sounds turned into hair-raising ghost cries. The warm sunlight vanished instantly, turning into a thick darkness that left him unable to see anything.

In the blacksmith shop, hearing the sudden loud noise, Su Tang had only instinctively entered a state of readiness. But now, he clearly sensed the danger of death. The two Spirit Souls in his brain simultaneously emitted a bright light, and endless killing intent surged from the depths of his soul.

But in just a short instant, the sunlight reappeared, and the ringing sounds returned to normal. It seemed as if nothing had happened just now, as if it were only his illusion.

“So they are made from human bones,” Su Tang said softly. “However, the sound is quite pleasant.” After speaking, he gently shook the wind chime in his hand.

Seeing that Su Tang’s expression had not changed, Long Qi felt somewhat disappointed and confused. At this moment, Xiao Buhui smiled and asked, “Are you really preparing to step back?”