Chapter 50: Jiang Lin's Three-Year Agreement?
"Hm… this really is a second-grade Bone-Growth Pill. You can take it."
Mr. Yao sniffed the pill bottle Jiang Lin handed him. Though not an alchemist, he could identify whether the ingredients were poisonous through scent and thus help Jiang Lin determine its safety.
Hearing that, Jiang Lin immediately popped one of the three pills into his mouth. He'd been holding off until now, worried Peso might've left him a trap. What if it was poisoned? But now, he realized—he'd judged Peso with a villain's heart. Peso bro, I was wrong...
As the pill dissolved, warmth spread throughout Jiang Lin's body, making his eyes light up. No doubt about it—pills were amazing. He absolutely needed to capture an alchemist in the future—ahem, no, make one his close friend.
Especially given his body-refining cultivation path, pills had a huge effect on his recovery and strength.
"Sigh…"
Mr. Yao watched Jiang Lin's direct, unfiltered behavior and let out a sigh. "Yan Hu told me a lot. Those two weapons are in your room. If you're leaving, take them with you."
Jiang Lin was surprised. After dealing with one fool, suddenly everyone around him seemed wise and cryptic—it was hard to adjust.
"Is Captain Yan Hu connected to you in some way?"
Mr. Yao shook his head. "Not exactly. It's just an old doctor-patient dispute. But generally speaking, we all have a bit of history."
He explained the origins of the conflict among Qingshan Town's blacksmiths: Peso had first allied with the Wolf Head Mercenary Group, then reached out to some Dou Shi within the Beast Mercenary Group. Yan Hu didn't trust Peso's promise of a high-tier Yellow-Rank (third-grade) weapon but didn't openly refuse either. Instead, he watched as some of his subordinates defected one by one.
"Oh right, the Wolf Head Mercenary Group is gone. Mu She and Mu Li died in the wildfire."
Mr. Yao added casually.
"…I thought those voices sounded familiar," Jiang Lin said with a grin. Because of his affiliation with Wan Yao Zhai, he'd always been hesitant to go all out. Only after gradually becoming independent through his blacksmith identity did he earn the right to fight back. Mu She and Mu Li had repeatedly sabotaged him behind the scenes—he'd even built a single-use magic core sniper specifically to quietly take out pests like Mu Li.
Mr. Yao shook his head. "Competition in Black Rock City is fierce. Yan Hu planned to slim down his overly bloated group anyway. Compared to the other mercenary groups, his was much messier. Peso simply gave him an excuse to cut the dead weight. That's how the Beast Mercenary Group split in two."
"Yan Hu knew my condition, so he knew I couldn't kill a second-rank beast. He also understood your strength. Even though it's hard to believe, the fact is, you—a two-star Dou Zhe—killed a Dou Shi."
"Yan Hu never met Peso in person, so he didn't know what he looked like. He was hoping you would lure Peso out. But your strength exceeded his expectations. In the end, he never had to act—because you killed Peso first."
Mr. Yao didn't know what to say. Yan Hu had already told him the battle between the two blacksmiths was outrageous. The amount of Dou Equipment destroyed could've bought out all of Wan Yao Zhai.
After the wildfire died down, Yan Hu had climbed back up the mountain, recovered the two still-usable Tier 2 weapons, and delivered them to the pharmacy.
Clearly, Yan Hu was a smart man. And in the treacherous world of mercenaries, you don't get far by being dumb.
"…So what does Captain Yan Hu want?"
Jiang Lin asked. Surely the man had something in mind.
Mr. Yao gave him a strange look. "Within three years—one high-tier Yellow-Rank weapon. And… the chance to fight you."
"???"
Three giant question marks appeared above Jiang Lin's head.
But then he understood and said, "You and Yan Hu had a medical dispute… so now he doesn't want to fight you anymore? And wants me to take the hit in your place?"
Mr. Yao shot him a glare. "You underestimate your boss. Even with one hand tied, I could beat him down like a spinning top."
"Yeah, but you could probably only do that once, right?"
Jiang Lin scratched his head. "After that, any Dou Shi you meet might take a turn spinning you."
Mr. Yao's face darkened. Clearly, Jiang Lin had hit a sore spot. He snorted coldly. "You think everyone is like you? The world isn't all about violence!"
"But if you can't fight, you're just meat on a chopping block. In every sense of the phrase."
Jiang Lin shrugged.
Mr. Yao stared coldly for a while, then snorted and turned away.
Jiang Lin quickly smiled and said, "Don't be mad, Mr. Yao. I'll accept Yan Hu's terms."
"The Beast Mercenary Group will rest for a year, then relocate to Black Rock City. It's up to you now."
Mr. Yao left those words and walked away.
Jiang Lin scratched his head, then wrote a quick letter to Xiao Yi Xian, thanking her for the pleasant time during his stay at Wan Yao Zhai. He saw the shield and bow left for him on the table, stored them in his precious storage ring, and vaulted over the courtyard wall, heading back into the Magical Beast Mountain Range.
The wildfire had killed many in the Beast Mercenary Group. They would recuperate for a year in Qingshan Town. That meant a year later, Yan Hu would challenge Mr. Yao to settle an old grudge. Mr. Yao couldn't accept, because if he fought, he'd drop from Da Dou Shi to Dou Shi… and then Jiang Lin might have to take him for a spin.
Protect him! Don't let anyone else spin him!
Thus, the mission was clear:
Teach whipless Yan Hu a lesson in a year.Forge a Tier 3 weapon within three years.
Shame about Blue Kun. If he hadn't flown off, Jiang Lin would've let Yan Hu see just how big his bird was. Massive.
Shaking his head to clear the nonsense, Jiang Lin moved quietly through the mountain range and returned to Peach Blossom Valley.
Mystic Armor Puppet Art, Bluefeather Archery, Diamond Inner Armor, Bluefeather Bow… he had a lot to work on.
(END CHAPTER)
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