Chapter 2017 - Fanning the Flame

Liu Wuxie didn't miss Mu Er's deference but considered it only natural. In his previous life as an Immortal Emperor, their Guild Master had all but begged him to accept this very token.

"I know your guild lent the Tigerwood Blacksmith Pavilion two hundred million immortal stones. You have three days to seize every workshop they pledged as collateral," Liu Wuxie said in a low, hoarse voice.

The Yuan Clan's contacts had allowed him to verify the arrangement. The Tigerwood Blacksmith Pavilion had mortgaged its assets for the loan, then spent the money buying up raw materials.

"Senior... under our contract, they have three months to repay us," Mu Er answered, unable to conceal his unease.

Repaying the principal and accrued interest within ninety days would fulfil the Tigerwood Blacksmith Pavilion's obligations. Until then, neither the law nor the agreed procedures gave the guild any grounds to seize its workshops.

The guild's extensive intelligence network in Azure Cloud City had already informed Mu Er of the tournament's outcome. Word of the Yuan Clan's overwhelming victory had likely arrived before Liu Wuxie had stepped inside.

"Your problems are of no concern to me. Strip the Tigerwood Blacksmith Pavilion of those twenty-plus workshops within three days. If force is necessary, use it. The result is all that matters to me," Liu Wuxie said with an indifferent sneer.

He had come to command, and he would entertain no negotiation. Under the sacred rules that governed the triangular token, the guild had to obey without question.

The more forcefully he asserted himself, the more cautiously Mu Er handled him. Had the masked stranger shown even a trace of hesitation or timidity, the Vice-Guild Master would have grown suspicious.

Liu Wuxie offered nothing further. Rising to his feet, he strode toward the exit.

"Escort Senior out," Mu Er quickly instructed the Third Guardian, motioning for him to follow. He stayed behind to think the matter through.

Once outside the guild, Liu Wuxie avoided returning directly to the Yuan Clan estate. Mu Er had clearly sent the Third Guardian under the guise of escorting him, but his true purpose was to shadow Liu Wuxie and uncover his identity.

As soon as he reached the bustling main street, Liu Wuxie used the Divine Ninefold Step to slip into the surging crowd. Every trace of his presence disappeared. The Third Guardian could only stare at an empty street corner before returning empty-handed, with no one left to follow.

"Did you find out who he is?" Mu Er asked the moment the Third Guardian returned to the inner chamber.

"I couldn't identify him. He's extraordinarily cautious. As soon as he stepped onto the main street, he vanished into the crowd. His aura disappeared with him," the Third Guardian reported, shaking his head incredulously.

For an Immortal Venerable, locking onto one target among thousands of pedestrians should have been effortless. Yet the stranger's spiritual presence had slipped from his grasp like smoke.

In a quiet, deserted alley several blocks away, Liu Wuxie emerged from the Sky Devouring Divine Cauldron. He shed the dark cloak, changed into fresh robes, donned a mask, and made his way back through the Yuan Clan estate's front gate.

"Vice-Guild Master... will we truly do as he demands?" the guardians asked anxiously, gathering around Mu Er.

"We must obey. He is the token's bearer, and those binding rules came from the Guild Master himself," Mu Er said, sighing as he turned the triangular token over in his palm.

Long Ying and her brother were already back from the tournament when Liu Wuxie strolled into his courtyard. Having failed to find him earlier, she now waited patiently.

"Brother Liu, the Yuan Clan came out on top!" Long Yuanxiong exclaimed as soon as he appeared. Excitement flushed his face, and he plunged into a detailed account of the tournament.

"Tea first. There's no rush," Liu Wuxie said evenly as he poured fresh cups for the siblings.

Long Yuanxiong animatedly recounted how Yuan Guanghuan had made a thousand swords bow in homage, but Long Ying's attention remained fixed on Liu Wuxie. Anyone else would have listened in wonder. He merely sipped his tea with perfect composure, as though every moment had followed his design.

Affairs at the tournament grounds kept Yuan Xiangtian busy until late evening. As soon as the formalities concluded, he brought his grandson directly to Liu Wuxie's courtyard to express their gratitude.

"You've saved the Yuan Clan from destruction, Young Master Liu. No words can convey how grateful we are. This is a debt our lineage will never forget," Yuan Xiangtian declared, bowing deeply.

Without Liu Wuxie's guidance, they would have struggled to place even in the top three, let alone claim victory. Yuan Xiangtian knew that well. Had they lost, the Tigerwood Blacksmith Pavilion's relentless attacks on their business would have brought about the clan's collapse within the year.

"There's no need to be so formal, Patriarch Yuan," Liu Wuxie said, hurrying forward to support him by the arms.

"What should our next step be, Young Master Liu?" Yuan Xiangtian asked eagerly. The immense influx of orders had not dispelled his fear that the Tigerwood Blacksmith Pavilion would strike out in desperation once it grasped the extent of its losses.

"Keep the pressure on. Use every channel to spread word that the Tigerwood Blacksmith Pavilion has exhausted its funds and can no longer fulfill its existing contracts. Let its clients bring their demands right to its doorstep," Liu Wuxie instructed, his eyes flashing coldly.

By secretly aligning itself with the Heavenly Alliance, the Tigerwood Blacksmith Pavilion had made its choice. Liu Wuxie meant to see it destroyed.

"I understand! I'll handle it right away," Yuan Xiangtian replied, nodding briskly before hurrying away to dispatch his agents.

Countless buyers had already chosen the Yuan Clan for their future orders. However, many of the Tigerwood Blacksmith Pavilion's existing orders remained in production, making cancellation impractical. Those clients could only wait for delivery before placing their next orders with the Yuan Clan.

"Brother Liu, with the Tigerwood Blacksmith Pavilion cornered like this, aren't you afraid they'll launch a desperate attack and take the Yuan Clan down with them?" Long Yuanxiong asked as Yuan Xiangtian departed, looking worried.

Their cultivation offered no hope of surviving an all-out battle involving several Immortal Lords.

"The Tigerwood Blacksmith Pavilion will soon have a fire in its own backyard. They'll be too busy to trouble us," Liu Wuxie answered indifferently, taking a slow sip of tea.

With his three sect assignments approaching completion, his thoughts had already turned toward returning to the Azure Jade Palace. Claiming the rewards would give him enough resources to reach the Origin Immortal Realm.

"A flick of your wrist turns the clouds, and the rain obeys your will. You've changed countless lives, raising some and ruining others. Tell me... which are you, human or demon?" Long Ying suddenly asked, her voice quiet with contemplation as she stared at him.

"Why don't you tell me, then? What makes a person human, and what makes one a demon?" Liu Wuxie asked, setting his teacup down and meeting her gaze. His expression revealed nothing.

Long Ying parted her lips, but she could find no answer or words to offer.

The courtyard fell silent while she turned his question over in her mind. What, truly, made someone human or a demon?

Most people saw demons as evil incarnate, yet during her travels she had witnessed countless supposedly righteous immortals slaughter, burn, and plunder without hesitation. What were such beings, then—immortals or demons?

Even the Divine Son of the Abyssal Race recognized the greater good. Could the blood flowing through his veins, by itself, make him evil?

Outside that peaceful courtyard, Azure Cloud City faced a sleepless night. The Yuan Clan now held the exclusive right to harvest Azure Cloud Truefire, channeling the pristine underground flames among its workshops and setting to work on its mountain of orders.

......

A bleak heaviness seemed to smother the Tigerwood Blacksmith Pavilion's main hall. Both the Grand Elder and the elder in charge of procurement wore pale, grim expressions.

The Grand Elder himself had suggested purchasing the three clans' ores at twice the market price. Who would have thought that such a seemingly prudent decision would lead them into a trap meant to destroy them?

Worse, the elder had borrowed two hundred million immortal stones from the Kabiya Guild by mortgaging their assets. That debt now weighed on them like an immovable mountain.

"Pavilion Master, say something, please! What are we supposed to do?"

Since returning from the Azure Cloud Pit, Ran Hu had sat brooding in silence.

"Grand Elder, put our five most distant workshops on the market immediately," he said at last, steadying himself with a deep, shuddering breath.

He meant to cover their immediate funding shortfall by selling a portion of their core assets. If they could survive this crisis, he had no doubt that the Tigerwood Blacksmith Pavilion would eventually reclaim its dominance.

"I understand," the Grand Elder replied, nodding heavily. Decades of effort and immense wealth had gone into acquiring those workshops. The need to sell them in such haste left a bitter, metallic taste in his mouth.

"Disaster, Pavilion Master! The Yuan Clan is recruiting blacksmiths throughout the city by offering enormous wages. We've already lost more than a third of our craftsmen; they've abandoned their posts to join the Yuan Clan!" a deacon shouted as he burst into the hall and dropped heavily to his knees before Ran Hu.

"What did you say?!" Ran Hu roared, shooting to his feet while his aura surged out of control.

Lost money could be earned again. How could they fulfill their remaining contracts without blacksmiths?

The Tigerwood Blacksmith Pavilion had dealt this blow to the Yuan Clan the previous year, luring away many of its craftsmen. Now the same disaster had befallen them.

The master blacksmiths personally trained by Ran Hu formed a fiercely loyal core. Most of the workforce, however, occupied lower positions and endured grueling, repetitive preliminary refinement for modest wages. These men were now leaving in droves.

"Pavilion Master! The Cult Leader of the Heavenly Demon Cult is forcing his way in—"

A bloodied figure came flying through the doorway before the guard outside could finish, crashing onto the hall's marble floor.

Moments later, pitch-black demonic aura billowed around the Cult Leader's shadowy figure as he crossed the threshold and strode into the hall.

"Cult Leader, what reason did you have to injure my men?" Ran Hu demanded, stepping forward to confront him.

"When will you hand over the weapons my Heavenly Demon Cult ordered, Ran Hu?" the Cult Leader asked in a cold voice. With a flick of his wide, dark sleeve, he unleashed a wave of demonic energy that drove the surrounding elders backward and cleared a wide circle around him.

"We have another ten days to deliver under the contract," the Second Elder interjected, moving cautiously forward.

"I want those weapons immediately. You'll deliver them today," the Cult Leader said as he settled into the Grand Elder's high seat with the air of the hall's owner.

A dark look settled over Ran Hu's face. After decades of trade between the Tigerwood Blacksmith Pavilion and the Heavenly Demon Cult, its leader had no reason to force his way inside and make such aggressive demands. Ran Hu sensed another hand directing events from the shadows.

"Cult Leader, we signed a contract, and we should abide by it. If we haven't delivered in ten days, we will compensate you with twice the contract value," Ran Hu said, holding his anger in check. Losing his temper was a luxury he could not afford. The Heavenly Demon Cult wasn't weaker than the Tigerwood Blacksmith Pavilion, and neither side would gain anything from an open feud.

"Pavilion Master Ran, your debt to our three clans is twenty million immortal stones apiece. We're here to collect today," a sharp voice called out from outside.

Side by side, the patriarchs of the Qian, Fu, and Shen Clans entered the hall.

Buying their ores at twice the market price had cost more than even the two hundred million immortal stones borrowed from the Kabiya Guild could cover. The Tigerwood Blacksmith Pavilion therefore had to acquire a large portion on credit.

"You three..." Ran Hu began, but anger choked off his words. For a moment, he could say nothing more.

These were the same men who had fawned over the Tigerwood Blacksmith Pavilion like lapdogs, pleading for it to buy their ores. Now that it had begun to falter, they were the first to strike at its weakness.

"Don't blame us for our heartlessness, Pavilion Master Ran. You know better than anyone where your pavilion stands. Sixty million immortal stones is a considerable sum. Please arrange to pay us immediately," Patriarch Qian said, abandoning his former deference.

They openly declared where their allegiance now lay, extending goodwill to the victorious Yuan Clan while demanding what the dying Tigerwood Blacksmith Pavilion owed them.

Fury and anxiety made the Tigerwood Blacksmith Pavilion's elders and deacons tremble. A dreadful realization settled over them. Vultures were already circling over their heads.

"Don't worry, gentlemen. You'll receive payment very soon," Ran Hu replied through clenched teeth, forcing steadiness into his voice.

Anticipating the three clans’ betrayal, he had ordered five workshops sold to replenish their funds and settle their most pressing debts.