Death Sutra

Chapter 288 - Tianshan

Chapter 288: Tianshan

Translator: Transn Editor: Transn

It was an ordinary day at Blacksmith Village, although it was shrouded in an unfortunate atmosphere. The temperature had plummeted and business was poor. A seventeen-year-old apprentice had been killed last night. A Black Blood Flag was placed at the doorstep of a shop and the blood on the flag was frozen.

More than sixty blacksmiths came together in a small house that afternoon to discuss countermeasures. However, no one had any ideas and they were only here to chat. Most didn't even have a seat and they had to squeeze in and squat around.

"Seven blacksmiths had died."

"Twelve apprentices had died too. I don't have enough people, but no one in South City dares to take up this job."

"Why does the Dragon King hate blacksmiths? We didn't offend him."

"Mr. Hong. Please say something."

Mr. Hong was a hunched, well-built old man who had been lowering his head. Out of the dozens of blacksmiths, he was the only one who hadn't spoken at all. He barely raised his head when his name was called. He then said, "I don't know."

"Are you the one who initially made weapons for the Dragon King?"

After hearing this sentence, everyone looked at him. Mr. Hong's mouth was sealed and looked stubborn. After a while, he said, "I have made two swords for him a few years ago. What's the matter? If he is unsatisfied, he can just come and kill me."

This wasn't a big deal but everyone looked surprised. This was the only relationship between Blacksmith Village and the Dragon King that they knew of. The reason why the Dragon King was angry and wanted to take revenge after so many years was due to either Mr. Hong pocketing more money during that time or there were problems with the sword.

The Dragon King was someone who bore grudges. Wasn't his motive for coming into Jade City to take revenge on Golden Roc Fort?

Mr. Hong lowered his head again, but he couldn't avoid those gazes. They were like countless fine needles which made Mr. Hong feel uncomfortable. It seemed as if he had committed a shameful crime and was accepting the public's silent criticism. Hence, he stood up, pushed the door and walked out of the room.

"What … is going on? He hadn't made himself clear," a blacksmith said discontentedly. Others were nodding their heads.

Soon, they heard a hoarse scream from the street. Blacksmith Mr. Hong used such a method to explain himself. He shouted, "Damn you, Dragon King! Come and kill me, you coward! I will be waiting here!"

The blacksmiths dispersed and no one dared to persuade Mr. Hong.

The hunched old man stood up straight. He watched his counterparts running away, pedestrians rushed off and the shops on both sides of the street closed. He couldn't help but sigh.

Blacksmiths could forge the sharpest weapons, but they couldn't control how the weapon can be used. When they were attacked, they were as helpless as ordinary people and would panic.

Mr. Hong walked back to his small shop. Two young disciples looked at their master in panic. One said, "Master, my mother is ill …", the other said, "My sister is going to get married."

"Leave. All of you, leave."

There was one person left, but Mr. Hong felt at ease. He took off his robe, picked up his hammer and struck the iron plate on the anvil. Sparks were flying and he felt more at ease.

What was terrible about death? Something might even grow on the tomb after he was buried in the soil.

Night fell. Blacksmith Village, which was usually noisy and had furnaces burning, was surprisingly quiet now. Mr. Hong sat down next to the anvil. He was looking at the shanty wooden door and was not doing anything. He wasn't hungry, but he felt slightly cold, so he put on his robe again.

When he looked up again, there was one more person at the door. The person was masked in black and was holding onto a saber.

Mr. Hong glanced at him, lowered his head and showed his neck. He said, "Come and kill me in one strike."

The man in black took a step forward and raised his saber. He took another step forward, but he suddenly stopped. He realized that there was something wrong.

A large net fell from the beam of the house. Five men jumped down onto the ground and each of them pulled at a corner.

The man in black swung his saber twice, but he was still caught in the net.

"Don't let him swallow poison!" one of the ambushers shouted. The group rushed up and suppressed the man in black. They hurriedly pinched his nose and opened his mouth. They took something out from his mouth.

"Alright. We caught him alive!" a twenty-year-old young man exclaimed excitedly. He was holding a small pill in his hand for blacksmith Mr. Hong to check.

Mr. Hong nodded.

The young man grabbed the prisoner and tore his mask off. "Mr. Hong, is this him?"

"Hmm, will the real Dragon King be caught so easily? Ask him where he came from." Mr. Hong's tone sounded strict. The hunched, incompetent blacksmith suddenly became a decisive leader.

The young man kicked the prisoner and said, "Mr. Hong is asking you a question. Say something."

The prisoner was a thin middle-aged man. He sneered and turned away. He didn't reply to Mr. Hong.

The young man wanted to lift his foot again. Mr. Hong then said, "Don't interrogate him here. Bring him to a safe place and interrogate him there."

The other four men carried the prisoner and the young man pushed open the door and looked around for a while. When the coast was clear, he turned around and the group of people left quietly.

The young man looked at the old blacksmith with a little bit of concern. He said, "Mr. Hong, I will stay and protect you."

"Go, I don't need to be protected." Mr. Hong's tone sounded stiff, as though the young man had offended him.

The young man's face flushed slightly and he hurried outside to catch up to his companions.

Mr. Hong patted off the non-existent dust on his body. He then stood up and was preparing to strike the iron plate. He still had to do his job regardless of how many people wanted to kill him or whether there were any guests.

Suddenly, there was a sharp pain in the back of his head. Mr. Hong fell into darkness as he "plopped" forward.

When Mr. Hong slowly woke up, there were "tinkling" sounds in his ear, which made him think that he was in a blacksmith's shop. However, the sound disappeared when the scene became clearer.

He was leaning against a coffin in a mourning hall.

Mr. Hong was surprised and stood up in a hurry. He recognized that this was the mourning hall which was set up for Big Protector who had been killed a few days ago. His wife and children fled the city in less than three days after Big Protector's death. It had been a long time since someone stayed in the hall. Those blacksmiths who were familiar with Big Protector would light up two candles every day.

There was a young man standing at the door and he looked surprisingly pale. It was as if he was a terminally ill patient who was going to die. He was peering out into the cold night through a gap.

"The Dragon King?" Mr. Hong vaguely recognized his face, but he looked very different from that teenager a few years back. He didn't seem to be the same person.

"Someone was using my name to kill people." Gu Shenwei was laying in ambush in Blacksmith Village for twelve to fourteen hours and had watched coldly as Mr. Hong set up a trap to capture someone alive. He didn't follow the prisoner because he felt that Mr. Hong would know more.

"I guessed so." Mr. Hong stood up as he tried to straighten his hunched back. He was calmer than most competent killers when facing the Dragon King.

"It's time for you to tell me something." Gu Shenwei turned around and looked at the blacksmith who had once made the "Huan" and "Yun" blade for him and Maid Lotus.

"I have nothing to say." Mr. Hong was stubborn. He would have the same attitude even if he was standing in front of the Supreme King.

"That Lin Xiaoshan. Is he your son?" Gu Shenwei was hiding in a blind spot when he was observing Mr. Hong. He could guess some secrets from Mr. Hong's eyes.

Lin Xiaoshan was the young man who wanted to stay behind to protect Mr. Hong.

After Gu Shenwei made that remark, Mr. Hong's facial expression changed. His muscles twitched, and it seemed as if flames were about to burst out from his eyes. He shouted, "No, but you are not allowed to touch him!"

"Are you able to command me?"

The flames in Mr. Hong's eyes gradually died down. Mr. Hong then lowered his head and said, "The imposter was killing Tianshan Sect, instead of the blacksmiths."

"What?" Gu Shenwei doubted that he had heard wrongly.

"Tianshan."

Gu Shenwei immediately thought of Elderly Dragon who was wearing a cotton-padded jacket and peddling fantasies to swordsmen. Tianshan Sect was the first small gang, whom Elderly Dragon participated in the massacre of as a killer apprentice. It was more commonly referred to as the "Ten-Dragon Gang".

However, both Elderly Dragon and Tianshan Sect were swindlers. They would collect admission fees and say big words. It was similar to the preaching of the holy monk. The backbone of the gang, including Elderly Dragon, were all dead.

Gu Shenwei never imagined that he would hear the name of this gang again, but he soon realized, "Are you one of the ten dragons of Tianshan Sect?"

"The Ten Dragons is a scam. Elderly Dragon was too anxious, so he had died a terrible death."

"He is a liar," Gu Shenwei said coldly.

"Yes, Elderly Dragon is a liar and so is the Ten-Dragon Gang. Mr. Hong readily admitted, "However, Tianshan Sect isn't. Golden Roc Fort thought that they have destroyed Tianshan Sect, but we have been developing in secret. Some information was leaked when a traitor had betrayed Tianshan Sect a month ago."

"So, was Golden Roc Fort using my name to destroy Tianshan Sect again?"

"This is why it is so strange. The traitor didn't seek refuge in Golden Roc Fort. The Supreme King probably still thought that Tianshan Sect had already perished."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, the influence of Tianshan Sect is bigger than what you think. I heard that you have seen Immortal Peng from Joy Pavilion before. His Stop Kills Society is a scam. Tianshan Sect is the one who is managing the machetemen."

The light that just appeared dimmed again. Guan Shang, who was a disciple of New Moon Hall, believed that the imposter was a Golden Roc killer. The imposter should be related to Stone Castle. Gu Shenwei originally thought so, but that was directly denied by Mr. Hong.

Gu Shenwei wasn't concerned about whether Stop Kills Society was a scam.

"If it's not Golden Roc Fort, who will it be?"

"We also don't know. That's why we had to capture prisoners and interrogate them. However, we may not get much information because we couldn't sound them out. They were in awe of their mastermind and will rather die than leak any information out. We will design another trap and use these prisoners to lure bigger targets. The mastermind will be exposed sooner or later."

Mr. Hong spoke much. This was completely different from his usual temper. He was surprised. He said, "That's all. Tianshan Sect won't make a fuss even though the Dragon King had once participated in the massacre of the Ten-Dragon Gang. Both of us don't hate each other. If the Dragon King is willing, then we can join hands."

"I will look for you when you have news." Gu Shenwei wanted the support of Tianshan Sect, but he was more used to being alone. It might be a wrong move for him to believe anyone, especially at this moment.

"We will be waiting. However, please don't knock my head and ask me directly." Mr. Hong was rubbing the back of his head as it still felt painful.

"Are you the chief?" Gu Shenwei asked.

"Hey. There is no need for the Dragon King to sound me out because I won't tell you. There are too many different kinds of people in Jade City, so the chief will never reveal himself. In short, it is not me. He is a great man and the Dragon King will meet him soon …"

Mr. Hong spoke a little too much about the chief. It seemed as if the Dragon King's punch has changed Mr. Hong's character and made him more talkative.

The Dragon King left before Mr. Hong has finished speaking. He darted out of the door and disappeared.

The clue was broken again. This matter became very confusing as the motive of the imposter was unclear.

Gu Shenwei flipped over the boundary wall and quickly returned to North City. He wanted to reinterrogate Guan Shang because there was something wrong with her words.