In the Sheng Tian, at the headquarters of the Maple Guard.
Qian Hong, dressed in a flowing red dress, cinched at the waist with a belt, perfectly showcased her slender and graceful figure.
“Captain Qian, the blacksmith shop on Chiming Street has reopened.”
A Maple Guard presented the information, and upon hearing this, Qian Hong's eyes brightened as she quickly walked towards the door.
“Is this true? Master Li has returned?”
The messenger from the Maple Guard nodded and replied, “The information is accurate.”
“Good!” Qian Hong's lips curled into a smile, and her usually cold expression softened for a moment.
Just as she was about to head directly to Chiming Street, her steps paused once more.
Wait a moment!
She wasn't sure if Master Li had any special taboos, so it would be better to let Zhao Yuan, who had met him, inform him first.
After careful consideration, Qian Hong made this decision.
The divine craftsman she had been searching for had finally appeared; she wanted to ensure that every step was perfect.
“Call Zhao Yuan over for me.”
On Chiming Street, in Li Qing's blacksmith shop.
Ever since Master Gu's blacksmith shop opened, the neighbors had been coming to him for their daily ironware needs.
Li Qing was quite pleased to have some leisure time.
At this moment, he was practicing some moves from the Fierce Tiger True Intent Diagram, with a little tiger cub following behind him, mimicking his actions.
Fierce Tiger Pouncing Heart!
Whoosh!
Li Qing's palm condensed like a tiger's claw, veins bulging from his wrist. Each of his strikes not only used his own strength but also drew upon the internal power cultivated from the Turtle Breathing Technique.
Each move was highly lethal, causing even the air to tremble slightly.
If someone were to lift Li Qing's clothing at that moment, they would surely be shocked by the powerful physique hidden beneath his loose robe, with hardly a trace of fat and every muscle robustly defined!
Fierce Tiger Descending the Mountain! Vicious Tiger Pouncing for Prey!
Though the little cub had not yet grown to the level where it could observe and learn from his martial arts, teaching it some moves used in fierce tiger combat unexpectedly benefited Li Qing greatly.
From this, he comprehended more of the essence of the Fierce Tiger True Intent Diagram, feeling as if he had transformed into a ferocious tiger, filled with an impulse to roar at the sky and express his inner spirit.
In the end, he suppressed this impulse as the cub howled loudly.
“Roar!”
Before Li Qing could scold it for disturbing the peace, a heavy and slow footstep sounded from outside.
“Is Master Li here?”
Li Qing immediately recognized it was Zhao Yuan's voice.
“Come in.”
After saying this, he slowly withdrew his stance, calming his practice.
Soon, Zhao Yuan entered. When he saw Li Qing and the little tiger on the ground, he couldn't help but freeze in place.
In a daze, he seemed to see two tigers, one large and one small, and the blacksmith shop appeared to transform into a dangerous tiger's den.
“What a fierce tiger!”
Zhao Yuan couldn't help but praise, though he didn't specify whether he was referring to the cub or Li Qing's impressive martial aura.
Li Qing relaxed his stance, casually took a towel to wipe his sweat, and asked, “Brother Zhao, what brings you here suddenly?”
Upon hearing this, Zhao Yuan fell silent for a moment before slowly saying, “The captain wants to see you.”
Still as succinct as ever, which left Li Qing unsure of how to respond. He teased, “Is it about forging weapons? I haven't congratulated you on joining the Maple Guard yet.”
Hearing the implication in Li Qing's words, Zhao Yuan's expression changed slightly. He hurriedly explained, “Master Li, if you don’t want to meet the captain, that’s fine. I won’t put you in a difficult position!”
Who would believe that?
Qian Hong had wanted to forge her sword again since her time in the military, and after such a long search for a suitable blacksmith, she would definitely not let this opportunity slip away easily.
Moreover, he was a master of internal strength, the captain of the Maple Guard, and his superior. How could he have the face to let her not put him in a difficult position?
Li Qing silently rolled his eyes at Zhao Yuan, then leisurely said, “Let her come over.”
Meeting was inevitable; rather than thinking of delaying, it was better to be straightforward. Perhaps she wouldn’t recognize him.
Of course, Li Qing didn’t believe Qian Hong wouldn’t recognize him. Martial arts experts generally had excellent memories. While they might not remember every word, they should be able to recall those they had met within a year.
Zhao Yuan sighed in relief; he was genuinely worried that this young Master Li would be displeased with him informing the captain of his presence.
“Wait a moment, I’ll go inform her!”
After saying this, Zhao Yuan strode out of the blacksmith shop.
Almost before long, a light footstep sounded again from outside.
A figure clad in crimson entered, and without saying a word, Qian Hong, upon entering, immediately bowed her head and clasped her fists in greeting: “Qian Hong, greetings to Senior Li!”
Seeing a tall and graceful master of internal strength show such respect left Li Qing somewhat stunned.
Such a low posture? It seemed his value was higher than he had imagined!
Li Qing glanced at Qian Hong with a hint of amusement before quickly regaining his composure, clearing his throat and saying, “Ahem, there’s no need for such formalities.”
Qian Hong, with her head bowed, was momentarily taken aback.
This voice? Why does it sound so young? And it seems somewhat familiar, as if she had heard it somewhere before.
She quickly straightened her back, her gaze fixed intently on Li Qing.
In the next moment, her rosy lips parted slightly, her eyes filled with disbelief and shock.
Clearly, this face and features slowly overlapped with her memory of the honest and sturdy blacksmith apprentice; the appearance was the same, but the aura was somewhat different.
“It’s you!”
After a long pause, Qian Hong's chest heaved slightly before she finally spoke the first words of recognition.
Li Qing chuckled softly, “Captain Qian, it has been a while since we last met.”
Finally, Qian Hong managed to compose her shaken emotions.
“Back then, when the bandits attacked the military camp, you actually survived!”
Qian Hong surveyed Li Qing with a peculiar gaze, naturally noticing that he now possessed a robust external strength, and the calluses on his hands indicated he was indeed an extraordinary martial artist.
“To be honest, I feel ashamed. When the bandits launched a surprise night attack, I panicked and thought of my master, so I ran to the grave mounds at the border and luckily avoided a calamity. After wandering for many days, I had other experiences and gradually lost the thought of returning to the military.”
Li Qing recounted the pre-prepared excuse with an expression and tone that felt incredibly genuine.
Qian Hong, however, didn’t think much of it. She waved her hand and said, “I have already left the Wuli Army, so there’s no need to explain these matters to me.”
What a joke, the young man before her was capable of forging unparalleled divine weapons; she wouldn’t concern herself with some trivial matters from the military, which had no significant impact and was completely unnecessary to address.
In the next moment, Qian Hong shifted her tone, her gaze filled with anticipation as she looked directly at Li Qing and asked, “The Silent Blade of Zhao Yuan, was it forged by you?”
Without denying, Li Qing nodded.
“It is I.”