The Commander

Translator: AnubisTL

Clang! With Li Qing's final hammer strike, the sickle on the forge began to take shape, its blade glowing a fiery red, a sign of the intense heat.

He carefully immersed the last forged sickle into the water, and instantly, the surface began to boil, bubbling vigorously.

After the quenching process was complete, a prompt indicating an increase in lifespan quickly appeared.

[Successfully forged farming tool: Black Iron Sickle, rewarded with one day of lifespan!]

Yes, only one day! Perhaps because it was a farming tool, the rewarded lifespan was pitifully short, just a single day.

But the quantity made up for it. This time, Li Qing forged twenty-three sickles in one go, successfully gaining twenty-three days of lifespan.

What would have taken at least three days of work in the past, he completed in just one day, and the quality of each sickle was excellent.

"Although it's a farming tool for harvesting Dark Wheat Mushrooms, my sickle is sharper than many weapons. Only rewarding one day is a bit stingy!"

Li Qing muttered to himself, then carefully stored the sickle as its temperature gradually decreased.

It was almost evening, and he didn't plan to keep these sickles in his tent for too long. He would move them to the World of Eternal Night under the cover of night to complete the task.

After tidying up, Li Qing let out a light sigh, then closed his eyes, feeling the abundant energy within his body.

Due to years of blacksmithing, his physical foundation was already strong, and with Wu Chong from the kitchen often giving him extra meals, his muscles had become quite robust.

Now that he had just begun to master the foundational martial arts, the flow of energy and blood in his body was much smoother than before.

In the past, after a day of intense blacksmithing like this, he would have been too exhausted to even lift his arms. But now, he was still full of energy, his stamina significantly increased.

Putting down the hammer, Li Qing, as usual, took two meal bowls and headed towards the kitchen.

On duty in the kitchen tonight was another cook, a portly man with a shiny, oily face, looking quite prosperous.

Originally intending to gather some information about the current military situation from Fatty Wu, Li Qing immediately abandoned the idea.

His current persona was that of a diligent and obedient blacksmith apprentice. Showing too much interest in matters beyond blacksmithing could easily draw unwanted attention.

As usual, he filled both meal bowls with food and left the kitchen without a word.

But soon, footsteps and soft conversations could be heard not far away.

"Damn bandits, they actually ambushed and killed the grain transport team. It seems we'll have to fight after all."

"Commander Yuan from the Ming Battalion has already started mobilizing troops. Our Wu Li Army definitely won't swallow this insult."

"Sigh, keep it down. Our Centurion said not to spread this around, afraid it might affect morale."

Li Qing, with his keen hearing, caught every word.

However, he showed no change in expression, walking towards his tent as if nothing had happened.

After delivering the meal to his master again, Li Qing noticed that Master Gu's vitality was beginning to wane, his breathing becoming faint and weak.

With every cough, Li Qing feared that his master might not hold on much longer, a sign that life was nearing its end.

"I can't eat anymore. You've started practicing martial arts now, so you should eat more. From now on, my portion of food will be yours, cough cough cough!" Master Gu lay weakly on the bed as he spoke.

Hearing this, Li Qing's expression changed slightly. He said, "Master, how can this be?"

However, Master Gu didn't even glance at him and continued speaking as if to himself, "If you don't eat it, it will just go to waste. The Wu Li Army will soon be engaging in battle with the bandits, and it's likely that Great Liang will also get involved. This border region is not easy to defend."

"Master..." Li Qing was momentarily at a loss for words, his heart filled with mixed emotions.

Seeing Master Gu in such a state on his deathbed, Li Qing resolved in his heart to live longer. He had previously thought that living to a hundred years old was already quite good, but now he realized that such an ambition was too modest.

For those who practice martial arts, reaching the twilight years of life is truly a sorrowful thing.

He didn't want to experience such a thing. He wanted to live longer and remain forever young and strong!

Just as Li Qing was feeling sorrowful for Master Gu, the latter suddenly opened his eyes and said in a deep voice, "Who's there?!"

Someone?! Li Qing, who had noticed nothing, felt his heart skip a beat.

Soon, a magnetic female voice sounded from outside the tent.

"As expected of Master Gu, even while bedridden with illness, you remain so well-informed about the affairs of the army."

The tent flap was lifted, and a tall figure clad in light armor walked in.

She was very tall; Li Qing estimated she must be at least six feet, making her the tallest woman he had ever seen. She had her long hair tied up, a heroic face, and her thighs were firm. Every movement exuded a valiant and spirited demeanor.

"Cough cough cough, this old man greets Lady Qian!" Master Gu, recognizing who had arrived, struggled to get up and pay his respects.

Lady Qian? And a woman? That could only be the female Commander in the army! She was a true heroine, said to be as fierce and brave as any man on the battlefield.

Li Qing had expected her to be a woman with thick arms and a waist as wide as a barrel, but instead, she was quite attractive, with narrow, captivating eyes.

Immediately, Li Qing also prepared to bow, but Qian Hong interrupted, "Enough, there's no need for formalities here."

With that, Qian Hong walked to Master Gu's bedside, her clear eyes glancing at both Master Gu and Li Qing.

"May I ask..."

Before Master Gu could finish, Qian Hong spoke seriously, "I've come to ask for your help in reforging the Qing Hong Sword."

At these words, Master Gu was momentarily stunned, then he said in a trembling voice, "Have they mined that special ore from the mines again?"

Qian Hong nodded gravely and said, "Yes, but the quantity is small, only enough to forge one weapon. I nearly came to blows with the other two Commanders to secure it."

Master Gu, upon hearing this, let out a bitter laugh and said, "Lady Qian, do I look like I can even lift a hammer in this state?"

"There are other blacksmiths in the army, perhaps it would be better to..."

"Hmph! Those blacksmiths only have brute strength, how could their forging techniques compare to yours? I don't trust them to forge this special ore," Qian Hong said with a cold snort.

Li Qing, who was trying to minimize his presence as much as possible, felt a sudden tremor throughout his body, and his blood and qi slightly stirred.

This female commander, with just a cold snort, was able to affect his blood and qi, which surprised Li Qing.

She must be a powerful martial artist, otherwise, she couldn't have risen to the position of commander as a woman, and it seemed she even slightly overshadowed the other two commanders.

Standing beside her, Li Qing felt like a small rabbit next to a lion, trembling with fear.

"Cough, cough, then let my disciple give it a try. He has learned most of my skills and might be able to do it," Master Gu said with a cough.

Li Qing's heart leaped into his throat, and he quickly waved his hands, saying, "No, Master, my meager skills are nowhere near capable of forging this!"

His first instinct was to refuse. This involved a commander's sword, something she valued greatly, and it required the use of some unknown special ore.

Whether he had the ability to forge it or not, he had no intention of taking on this task.

Although succeeding in forging it might grant him a significant amount of lifespan, he didn't want to catch the attention of these powerful commanders. It was better to stay low-key.

Fortunately, Qian Hong had no intention of letting Li Qing forge it either. She raised an eyebrow and looked him up and down.

Finally, she withdrew her gaze, shook her head, and said, "Forget it, I'll go to another state to find someone to forge it. This kid looks even more fragile than you."

With that, Qian Hong sighed and walked out of the tent.

Hearing this, Li Qing's face flushed slightly red.

After years of blacksmithing, he had developed a robust physique, yet he was described as fragile, even less sturdy than an elderly man on the verge of death.

However, Master Gu chuckled, "Hehe, don't be upset, kid. Commander Qian is a Hundred Battles Realm expert who has cultivated Inner Strength. She could crush you with one hand, so calling you fragile isn't far off."

Hearing the terms "Hundred Battles Realm" and "Inner Strength," Li Qing's ears perked up, and he quickly asked, "Master, what is Inner Strength? What is the Hundred Battles Realm?"

Master Gu seemed to be in a good mood tonight and explained, "The path of martial arts is divided into three levels: Outer Strength, Inner Strength, and Transformed Strength."

"In the martial world, experts of Outer Strength are called the Tempered Body Realm, those of Inner Strength are the Hundred Battles Realm, and those who can cultivate Transformed Strength are Grandmasters!"

"Gulp!" Li Qing swallowed hard, his eyes filled with admiration. He casually asked, "Master, what level am I at? Am I considered an Outer Strength expert?"

Master Gu couldn't help but roll his eyes and bluntly said, "You're nowhere near an Outer Strength expert. You've only been practicing stances for a few days!"

No wonder he shivered when Centurion Qian glanced at him—the gap was that vast.

"Ah, it's a pity you didn't manage to connect with Lord Qian today. If you had volunteered to help her forge the Qing Hong Sword, she might have appreciated you in the future," Master Gu said leisurely.

However, Li Qing didn't feel the slightest bit of regret. He scratched his head and replied with simple honesty, "Master, I'm doing just fine now. I get to eat my fill every day and work on forging. That's enough for me."

"You blockhead, cough cough!" Master Gu finished speaking and started coughing again. Finally, he waved his hand and sent Li Qing out of the tent.

(End of the Chapter)

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