Chapter 86: Chapter 66: One Hundred Days of Knife Nurturing! Iron Beast Attack!—2
Chen Zhuang sneered coldly, his eyes flashing with a terrifying ferocious gleam “The White Jade Gang is training elite soldiers with this batch of armor, which’hascostmyBlackCavalry Gang numerous brothers’lives! Villa Owner Mo, if you’re not with us, then you’re against us. At the point of swords and spears, it’s up to you to choose!”
Mo Tie swayed, his face pale under Chen Zhuang’s oppressive gaze. The people around him bit their teeth in silence. If they truly became mortal enemies with the Black Cavalry Gang, Black Iron Manor would be razed to the ground before the day was over!
“Third Chief Chen… Please give us a little time. Such a big decision cannot be made by me alone. I need to discuss it with everyone.”
After a long while, Mo Tie took a deep breath and said in a low voice to Chen Zhuang.
Chen Zhuang didn’t insist on Mo Tie’s immediate agreement, knowing that too much pressure could backfire. Slapping Mo Tie on the shoulder, Chen Zhuang said, “Villa Owner Mo, I’ll give you three days to think it over. In these troubled times it’s tough to survive without the protection of the powerful. Join the Black Cavalry Gang, and we’re all brothers! No one can threaten you anymore. In three days, I hope to hear a satisfactory response.
Having said this, Chen Zhuang turned and left, followed closely by a few martial artists of the Black Cavalry Gang. The others along the way stepped aside to give them a clear path.
“Let’s go!”
Outside Black Iron Manor, Chen Zhuang and his group rode away swiftly on horses.
“Now… what should we do?”
A cloud of sorrow enveloped Black Iron Manor. The Black Cavalry Gang was intent on swallowing up Black Iron Manor and was using the armor-forging as a pretext. If they refused, the Black Cavalry Gang would arrive with a large force in three days and flatten Black Iron Manor!
If they agreed, they might ensure temporary peace, but becoming bandits would mean living in constant fear. Most people at Black Iron Manor simp y wanted to earn money with their own hands, raise their children, and live a peaceful life!
At Green Bamboo Mountain, by a small stream, a half-meter- long gray and white snake was moving slowly, making a rustling sound.
But suddenly, a shadow engulfed it, and a large hand grabbedits neck, lifting it
up.
“Hiss hiss!”
The gray and white snake immediately began to hiss and writhe, but it could not break free from the grip of the large hand!
Su Changkong observed the gray and white snake in his hand closely and saw that its belly was crimson red.
“Finally caught one! A Red-bellied snake!
A look of joy appeared on Su Changkong1 s face.
After spending a day or two, he had finally succeeded. He had caught a Red- bellied snake in Green Bamboo Mountain, which was needed for the Boiling Blood Scatter. With its snake blood, combined with the previously collected herbs, he could concoct the potent poison, Boiling Blood Scatter!
Su Changkong carefully placed the Red-bellied snake into a small bamboo basket.
“Time to head back.”
Satisfied, Su Changkong left Green Bamboo Mountain and returned to Black
Iron Manor.
It was evening by the time he reached Black Iron Manor.
“What’s going on? Why is it so quiet today?
At the entrance to Black Iron Manor, Su Changkong frowned. It was evemng, but the entire Black Iron Manor was deathly quiet, as if it had been abandoned.
A look of vigilance appeared on Su Changkong’s face as he cautiously stepped into the manor.
Inside Black Iron Manor, Mo Tie walked around the manor. The once bustling Black Iron Manor was now deserted except for him.
“Over there… that’s where Father taught me forging.
“This sickle is the first tool I ever made. Has it rusted already?” Mo Tie would occasionally pause, holding a rusted sickle in his hands, his eyes filled with nostalgia.
Mo Tie vividly remembered making a vow over his father’s deathbed to make Black iron Manor prosper, but now… Black Iron Manor was about to meet its end at his hands!
“Dad, I’m sorry… but I really did my best,” Mo Tie sighed with a sense of helplessness.
“Has Changkong not returned yet? What if he runs into the BlackCavalry Gang on his way back?”
in front of a residence, which was Su Changkong’s room, Mo Tie’s brow was furrowed with a touch of worry.
Su Changkong had asked for a leave of absence and had not yet returned. Mo
Tie was waiting for him to discuss some matters.
“Hmm?”
Mo Tie entered Su Changkong’s room and was taken aback when he noticed a faint metallic gleam under the bed.
Bending down, Mo Tie pulled out the object gleaming with metallic luster. It was a sword!
The Iron-Cutting Sword, Su Changkong had forged two of them-one was always keptinits sheath to maintain theblade, and the other was used for practicing the Blade Technique. This one, used for practice, was placed under the bed in his room.
“This sword… is it Changkong’s? Why is it so heavy?”
Mo Tie lifted the Iron-Cutting Sword and couldn’t help but be surprised^
Having a sword wasn’t unusual, as everyone in Black Iron Manor earned one for self-defense. But this sword of Su Changkong’s was exceptionally heavy. The entire Iron-Cutting Sword weighed more than ten taels, almost twenty. The swords typically used by martial artists weighed about one to three taels. And if one was not trained, even swinging them would be taxing, for you hold the sword by the hilt and not by the middle of the blade. The forces involved and the effort expended are quite different.
Asword weighing overten to twenty taels wouldbe strenuous justto lift by the hilt for an ordinary person, let alone wield it fluidly!
“Does Changkong regularly use suchaheavy sword? Can he even wield it?” Mo Tie wondered in amazement.
“Villa Owner.”
Just as Mo Tie was mulling over this, a voice sounded, startling him.
Mo Tie quickly turned around and saw a tall, dark-clad young man standing at the doorway—it was Su Changkong!