Chapter 171: Chapter 170: So, What Do You Have to Call Me?

KNOCK! KNOCK! KNOCK!

A clear knocking sound echoed through the quiet courtyard in the mountains.

This was an uncommon occurrence.

"Coming!"

Inside the courtyard, Wu Chen was lounging on a chair, half-napping while keeping a lazy eye on Hong Ling’s saber practice. Hearing the knock on the gate, he quickly got up to open it.

Hong Ling’s form came to a halt, and the whistling wind from her saber died down with it.

"Sect Leader Pang!" Wu Chen said respectfully. "Are the weapons reforged?"

The visitor outside was the Sect Leader of Refining Valley, Pang Weifeng.

"Indeed."

As Pang Weifeng spoke, he swept a hand over the storage pouch at his waist. Two straight sabers materialized in his palm, which he offered to Wu Chen.

"Young friend Wu, these two Blood Blades have been reforged as you requested. Please, take a look."

Reforging the Blood Blades was, of course, Wu Chen’s idea. The original blades were far too conspicuous and inconvenient to carry, so as soon as he had returned to Refining Valley, he sought out Pang Weifeng about the matter.

Although reforging a weapon—especially a Tier Three weapon—is much more difficult than forging a new one, since it was Wu Chen’s request, Pang Weifeng didn’t refuse. He even took on the task personally.

It had taken him a full ten days to infuse the two Blood Blades with various materials and complete the reforging.

"I appreciate your hard work, Sect Leader Pang."

Wu Chen took the two sabers, weighed them in his hands, and praised, "Sect Leader Pang, your craftsmanship is truly extraordinary!"

These two Blood Blades were no longer the aggressively crimson weapons they once were. From scabbard to edge to body, they were now predominantly black, with only a faint, scarlet hue visible upon close inspection.

Reforged to Wu Chen’s specifications, these Tier Three weapons—which had advanced after devouring the Blood Qi of tens of thousands—no longer produced that stimulating, turbulent backlash of Qi and Blood when held. Instead, they now nourished their wielder as gently as a silent, moisturizing rain.

"The Sect is busy with many matters, so I won’t disturb you two any longer." Pang Weifeng didn’t waste words. Having completed the task Wu Chen entrusted to him, he exchanged a few pleasantries and turned to leave.

Once again, only the two of them remained in the courtyard.

"Here, one for you."

Wu Chen tossed one of the Blood Blades to Hong Ling.

"This is so valuable... you’re giving it to me?"

Staring at the Tier Three saber in her hands, the young woman was stunned. For a moment, it felt like she was holding a hot potato.

A weapon like this would cost thirty to fifty thousand taels of silver at the very least!

’He’s just giving it to me?’

Just as she was about to say "thank you" as she always did, she heard a voice laced with amusement.

"Hong Ling. First, I fulfilled my promise to enter the secret realm and save you. Then, I helped you remove the Blood Palace Seal."

"Recently, I’ve been using my Organ Refining Realm aura and Blood Coagulation essence to nourish your body."

"And now, I’m giving you a Tier Three weapon."

"So tell me, what should you call me?"

This string of statements and the final question made Hong Ling’s face instantly flush crimson.

Especially when Wu Chen mentioned cleansing her marrows and meridians. The memory of his intimate touch roaming all over her body—even through her clothes—made her blush and tremble.

But thinking back on everything that had happened, and then looking at the Tier Three saber in her hand, she steadied herself and whispered with a red face:

"Dar—"

"Master! It’s Master!"

But before Hong Ling could get the full word out, Wu Chen forcefully gave her the answer.

He emphasized with a perfectly straight face:

"Never mind risking my life to save you in the secret realm. After that, I used an expensive Soul-Storage Pearl to remove your Blood Palace Seal. We definitely need to keep a clear account of that. That old senior said it was something only a Dragon Transformation Realm expert would have."

"Lately, I’ve even disregarded my own reputation, going to your room every day and staying for half the day, tirelessly forging your physique."

"Not to mention teaching you Martial Arts all this time."

"And let’s not even talk about bestowing a priceless weapon upon you today!"

"So, there’s no problem with me being your master, right?"

"I doubt any other master could do a better job than me!"

"So, tell me, what should you call me?!"

He boomed on about all his hard work, repeatedly emphasizing his identity.

The reason Wu Chen said all this was to keep the Celestial Star Sect firmly in his grasp. He wanted to prevent that old senior from finding out he enjoyed putting himself in danger and, on a whim, passing the Celestial Star Sect’s legacy to Hong Ling instead.

That’s why he had to secure his position as the second-in-command of this declining Sect.

His main task from now on would be to help the old senior recover, then rebuild the Celestial Star Sect as his own foundation.

"You..."

Hearing his assertive words, Hong Ling’s shoulders trembled slightly. This was completely different from the answer she’d been expecting!

Thinking of the word she had almost blurted out, she couldn’t help but lower her head again. Her crimson lips trembled, moving without a sound as she tried to make up her mind about him.

But before she could steel her resolve, Wu Chen’s nonchalant voice sounded by her ear again:

"I’m leaving Refining Valley for a while."

"Leaving? Can I go with you?"

Hong Ling froze. She looked up at the young man before her. She knew it was impossible, but still asked with a sliver of hope.

Just as she expected, Wu Chen shook his head. "No, it’s too dangerous."

Disappointment was plain on Hong Ling’s face, but she still nodded. "Oh. Then be safe on your journey. Be careful of everything. The demonic cultivators aren’t just from the Blood Slaughter Sect; there are many others without a name, and their methods are even more treacherous..."

She rambled on, and Wu Chen listened quietly with a smile on his lips.

But he could still see her unhappiness. When she finished, he smiled and said:

"How about this: when you reach the Blood Coagulation Realm, I’ll take you to other places."

At these words, Hong Ling’s expression brightened considerably, and her eyes sparkled. "Okay, it’s a promise! You can’t lie to me!"

She believed that with her own talent, the cleansing she received from the Earth Milk in the secret realm, and Wu Chen’s recent efforts to forge her physique and guide her martial arts whenever he had time...

...in no more than three to five years, she too would become a Blood Coagulation Realm expert! She would have the right to travel far and wide with Wu Chen!

"Mm, of course. Would I lie to you?"

Wu Chen smiled and took something out of his storage pouch, handing it to her.

It was his personal disciple Jade Pendant from Refining Valley, which held tens of thousands of Contribution Points.

’Usually, a gift like this is just for show, not meant to be spent. But Hong Ling is different.’

"Here, take this."

As soon as Wu Chen took out the Jade Pendant, she shook her head to refuse, but he forcefully pressed it into her hand without a hint of regret.

Once he left Refining Valley, these Contribution Points would be meaningless anyway.

Besides, he knew that a Blood Coagulation Realm Cultivation Technique probably couldn’t be bought easily with money.

So, he had also used some Contribution Points to exchange for a bit of cash.

Just fifty thousand silver banknotes, for emergencies.

If he really couldn’t buy one, well, his newly forged Tier Three saber was more than sharp enough!

Without any more words, Wu Chen turned and left crisply.

The only reason he hadn’t departed sooner was that he was waiting for the weapons to be finished.

Now that the sabers were reforged, Wu Chen naturally had to begin his search for a Blood Coagulation Realm Martial Arts manual.

He didn’t know what plans the four great sects had after annihilating the Blood Slaughter Sect, or if they were cooperating with the Mountain Mist City Defense Department.

But Wu Chen knew that after the fall of the Blood Slaughter Sect, retaliation from the Blood Palace was inevitable.

In one month at the minimum, six months at the maximum, the four great sects would absolutely have to face the first wave of the Blood Palace’s revenge.

Therefore, he had to use this time to become stronger. When the day of the Blood Palace’s retaliation came, he would use the opportunity to discover its location.

’This girl...’

Walking out of the courtyard, Wu Chen could clearly feel a gaze locked onto him, as if willing him to change his mind and take her along.

But Wu Chen could only shake his head helplessly.

Right now, Hong Ling was only at the late stage of the Meridian Passage Realm. Her skills were just barely enough to defeat a Mid Stage Jade Bone Realm opponent.

But he was pursuing a Blood Coagulation Realm Cultivation Technique, which meant he would inevitably face the dangers of the Blood Coagulation Realm.

Even if he were invincible among his peers, he couldn’t guarantee he’d emerge unscathed.

The gap in their strength was too vast. How could he dare bring a young woman with him into such peril?

Wu Chen strode away, showing his resolve. The sound of his footsteps quickly faded outside the courtyard.

He wouldn’t be swayed by a woman.

But he didn’t mind being surrounded by them.

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