Chapter 238 – Wielding the Ruling Blade to Uphold Chivalry, And So the Great Battle Begins - Part 1
“Master Li, my apologies. Our clan head intended to come personally, but with war looming, he’s secluded himself to see if he can make any last-minute gains. So he sent me in his stead.” The Guo Clan envoy gave a polite smile. “I’ve brought 1,500 taels of blood gold with me. How about I leave it here for you, to spare you the trouble of moving it yourself? Heh heh.”
This envoy was no mere errand-runner; he was a high ranking member of the Guo Clan. Yet here he was, acting with deference and humility before Li Yuan. In his mind, there was no reason for Li Yuan to refuse. After all, although Li Yuan was technically on Gu Xuejian’s side, he was also a weaponsmith for the Holy Tree Palace. In a sense, he was obliged to forge a spirit artifact for them.
The other renowned weaponsmith of the Holy Tree Palace, Master Gong, rarely crafted spirit artifacts now, being wholly devoted to pursuing the Dao. And when he did occasionally take a commission, it was only for very important figures; even the Guo Clan’s patriarch barely managed to make that list.
So, in the current Holy Tree Palace, Li Yuan was the only person who could reliably forge spirit artifacts. Besides, Li Yuan needed orders to hone his craft and continue proving himself.
As for the minor grudge between Li Yuan and the Guo Clan, neither this envoy nor the clan at large paid it much mind. In their eyes, everyone was simply moving their pieces on the chessboard—knights jumping here, elephants stepping there—each side following its own path, each seeking its own gain.
Still, to show goodwill, the Guo Clan had offered a notably higher fee than usual. After all, a second-time spirit artifact crafter typically wouldn’t earn this much. Of course, if a true master like Master Gong or Zhu Ban took the job, the cost would exceed even this sum.
Li Yuan nodded at the envoy’s words. “So I’ll be making a spirit artifact for Guo Fanghai?”
The envoy quickly replied, “Yes indeed, Master Li. Our family head needs a sword.”
“Understood,” Li Yuan said after a moment of thought. “Bring me the materials as soon as possible. I’ll pick a day to begin the forging.”
Overjoyed, the envoy stood and bowed. “Thank you, Master Li. Thank you so much.” Then he withdrew.
˙·٠✧🐗➶➴🏹✧٠·˙
A couple of weeks passed.