chapter 11 Let bygones be bygones ===

Boscanus Dong was dumbfounded after being beaten. He climbed up from the ground, bewildered. The Xu’s weapons workshop had never encountered such a situation before.
"You're going too far, daring to cause trouble in the Xu’s weapons workshop."
The servants rushed out, arguing with the group of people. Over the years, the Xu family had built an excellent reputation in their business. They were openly humiliating the Xu family.
"Damn it, cripple them for me, see if the Xu family manager will show up."
The leader of the mercenary team had a long scar on his face, known as Scar Tiger, and he was ruthless in his actions.
Who gave him the courage to openly challenge the Xu family? The Xu family head was at the Soul washing Realm, and there were several Innate Realm stewards. This situation was unusual.
All the mercenaries rushed forward, fists and kicks flying. The weapon workshop became chaotic, and weapons hanging on the walls fell down, scattering all over the floor.
As the sound of the fight reached the street, a large crowd gathered, pointing and discussing.
"Did Scar Tiger take the wrong medicine? He's openly smashing the Xu family's shop. Is he tired of living?"
Gasps were heard from the crowd. Scar Tiger and his mercenaries shocked everyone, turning the weapon workshop into chaos. Several servants and Manager Dong the shopkeeper lay on the ground, crying out in pain.
"The Xu family is really having a tough time. The master blacksmiths they cultivated in recent years have been poached by the Tian family, leading to a decline in their business day by day."
Sighs echoed from the crowd. Some rose while others fell in the turbulent city of Canglan.
"It's their own fault. I heard that the Tian family was willing to form an alliance with the Xu family, but it was rejected by Silvianus Xu. Following the agreement between the Xu and Liu families, he preferred to marry such a beautiful woman to a wastrel."
The appearance of the Xu family's young lady was widely known in Canglan City, her extraordinary beauty spreading throughout the Yan Empire.
Such a stunning woman marrying a powerless wastrel made many young talents sigh in frustration, lamenting the injustice of the world.
After injuring people, Scar Tiger didn't leave. He casually sat inside, waiting for the Xu family manager. Someone had already run out to inform the Xu family, urging them to send someone quickly.
In the refining room!
It was a critical moment. The appearance of the long knife was basically formed, and Sylvester Hu had exhausted all his strength, sitting on the ground.
"Clang…"
The final hammer fell on the long knife, producing a crisp sound that echoed throughout the refining room.
"The first refining, with minor flaws that don't affect the quality of the long knife."
Verdantius Liu was very satisfied with the long knife. The blade was two feet long, three fingers wide, and weighed seventy catties. Despite its small size, the weight was significant, largely due to the influence of the Thousand Refinements. The density of refined iron had increased more than tenfold.
The knife wasn't excessively long, with a convenient curved shape. The sharp blade released a fierce aura. Plucking a hair, Verdantius Liu lightly slashed, and the hair was cut cleanly, blown away by the wind.
"A sharp long knife. Young master, is this really your first time refining a weapon?"
Sylvester Hu's eyes were filled with admiration as he stood up. Refining the long knife together with Verdantius Liu had brought him tremendous gains. Creating the first Thousand Refinements weapon would undoubtedly shock Canglan City if the news got out.
"You remember what I told you earlier, right? Do you want to become a generation's master refiner?"
Verdantius Liu took out a piece of red cloth, wrapped the long knife, and held it in his hand. He asked Sylvester Hu solemnly.
"Young master... no, master, I'm willing to accept you as my master."
With a thud, Sylvester Hu knelt down, bowing to Verdantius Liu. Strangely, Verdantius Liu did not refuse.
"Very well, I accept you as my disciple. Only the two of us know about today's events. Don't reveal anything. The Xu family urgently needs talents like you. If there are outsiders, just call me young master."
Verdantius Liu, an Immortal Emperor, taking a mortal as his disciple might lower his status, but for the sake of the Xu family, certain things had to be done.
"Understood, I promise not to leak any information."
Sylvester Hu stood up, his face filled with excitement. He had guessed that the young master deliberately pretended to be a playboy to divert attention. In fact, he was highly skilled. The set of refining techniques just now, placed in the entire Great Yan Empire, was among the best. Sylvester Hu couldn't figure out why someone so powerful would keep a low profile.
"Squeeze a drop of your blood."
Soon, Sylvester Hu squeezed out a drop of blood, floating in the air. Verdantius Liu formed hand seals, injecting strange imprints into the blood. The blood emitted a faint glow, and Sylvester Hu's face transitioned from shock to acceptance. Today's scene had overturned his understanding.
"Go!"
The drop of blood soared and disappeared into Sylvester Hu's forehead, vanishing mysteriously.
"I've sealed some refining techniques in this drop of blood. Try to refine the first spiritually infused weapon within three days."
Verdantius Liu said meaningfully. He needed to continue cultivating and couldn't spare time for weapon forging. He entrusted this task to Sylvester Hu and instructed him to find a few trustworthy individuals to train. With their efforts, the Xu’s weapons workshop would soon rise again.
Having seen the weapons from the Tian family, Verdantius Liu knew they lacked spirituality and still used the Xu family's refining methods. Once weapons imbued with spirituality hit the market, the Xu family's weapons would be in high demand, quickly regaining the lost market share.
Infusing spirituality significantly increased the weapon's grade, and the materials weren't expensive. It only required adding a few spiritual runes, a lack of the Spirit Tattooist in Canglan City.
"Yes, Master. I'll start contemplating right away."
Sylvester Hu was excited and sat down, his mind filled with various refining knowledge.
"Take your time to contemplate here. When you have time, help me craft a scabbard. You know the dimensions."
After saying this, Verdantius Liu turned and left. In fact, there was another secret: the handprint he had placed in the blood contained a contract mark. If Sylvester Hu dared to betray the Xu family, this mark could instantly take his life. It was a precautionary measure, unspoken but necessary. Verdantius Liu still had faith in Sylvester Hu.
The commotion in the hall grew louder. The Xu family had arrived, observing the scattered weapons and the injured Xu family shopkeeper. The approaching stewards wore dark expressions.
Deacon Lan was handling matters nearby, accompanied by a petite figure with a face veiled in blue gauze—Verdantius Liu's wife, Valerrie Xu. Surprisingly, she was present.
"Scar Tiger, you have quite the audacity, hurting people in the Xu’s weapons workshop."
Deacon Lan shouted sternly. These people were too domineering, not showing any respect for the Xu family.
"Our brothers died because of serious quality issues with the weapons you sold us. We lost our lives in the Sunset Mountains. How do you suggest settling this account? The Xu family won't deny it, right?"
Scar Tiger took out the broken long knife and threw it in front of Deacon Lan for inspection.
News of issues with the Xu family weapons had spread throughout Canglan City. People had been returning goods these past few days, and the Xu family refunded them at the original price. However, no one had come to cause trouble until now.
Deacon Lan frowned. If what Scar Tiger said was true, the situation would be troublesome. The Xu family's weapons causing casualties could have a fatal impact on their reputation.
"If our Xu family weapons did cause harm, we will investigate thoroughly and provide you with a satisfactory response. However, injuring our people is going too far."
The Xu family didn't want to escalate the situation. They hoped Scar Tiger could give them an explanation. The exact cause of the casualties, whether it was due to Xu family weapons, still needed further investigation.
"My brother died, and I only injured a few of your people. Is that considered going too far?"
Scar Tiger stood up, his gaze chilling as he swept over Valerrie Xu. He had heard she was the number one beauty in the Yan Empire, but few had seen her true appearance. Normally, she wore a veil when going out.
"Not too far. The Xu family must give an explanation."
Some people echoed, weapons were like a second life, directly related to life and death, and they couldn't tolerate any defects.
Deacon Lan's face turned iron green, trembling with anger. Scar Tiger stirred up the crowd's emotions, standing on the moral high ground, making it difficult for the Xu family to deal with.
"Don't say I'm not giving the Xu family a chance. As long as the Xu family's young lady is willing to unveil her face..."
Scar Tiger insidiously suggested, intending to have Valerrie Xu reveal her face in front of the crowd. Numerous people joined in agreement with Scar Tiger's every word, and each statement he made was provocative.
Verdantius Liu walked out of the refining room just in time to hear Scar Tiger's words. He wondered why his wife was here.
His gaze settled on Scar Tiger, and a strand of killing intent emanated, Valerrie Xu was his wife. Though they had no actual marital relations, she was legally married to him. He couldn't allow anyone to disrespect her.
"What a phrase of letting bygones be bygones!"
Verdantius Liu strode forward, his gaze sweeping around. He made brief eye contact with Valerrie Xu, exchanged a glance, and then focused on Scar Tiger. A ruthless killing intent pervaded the entire weapon workshop.
Deacon Lan was stunned, not expecting Verdantius Liu to be in the weapon workshop.
"The Xu family's son-in-law, why is he here?"
The crowd exclaimed. Information about Verdantius Liu was abundant—dandy, wastrel, and a good-for-nothing.
"Deacon Lan, what's happening?"
Having been busy refining weapons, Verdantius Liu was unaware of the events in the weapon workshop. He inquired about the situation.