The Speedrun Begins with Choosing Hunter

Chapter 329: Chapter 321: Blood Fiend

"A fine blade!"

Bai Yuan clapped as he walked into the blacksmith’s shop.

Tang Tie was the same as always, giving him the cold shoulder.

He acted as if he hadn’t seen Bai Yuan, continuing to carefully wipe the weapon. If Bai Yuan hadn’t been sure it was a blade, he might have thought Tang Tie was caressing his wife’s cheek.

’Geniuses really do have their quirks.’

Bai Yuan cleared his throat. "I’ve come for my blade."

Tang Tie let out a soft sigh. He didn’t respond to Bai Yuan right away. Instead, he wiped the blade one more time before slowly rising to his feet.

He poured a great deal of effort and care into every weapon he forged. To become a Weapon Casting Master, genuine passion was essential.

That’s why he was always reluctant to part with them at this moment.

Tang Tie slowly handed the curved blade to Bai Yuan. "Please, give it a name."

This was a habit of his—he needed to know the name of every weapon he forged.

The Blood Radiance Iron was a top-tier Divine Iron. He had poured immense effort into this blade, and the result was a piece he was incredibly satisfied with—a masterpiece. Thus, he was even more eager to know the curved blade’s name.

Bai Yuan mused for a moment.

"Blood Fiend."

"Blood Fiend..."

Tang Tie murmured to himself.

"A good name."

Weapons are born to kill. Blood Fiend... direct enough.

Bai Yuan took the curved blade, Blood Fiend.

The moment it was in his hand, he felt as if he and Blood Fiend had been companions for decades, with no barrier between them.

This was the benefit of a spiritual weapon.

There was no need to get accustomed to it; he could wield it with the effect of someone who had practiced with a blade for decades.

He casually executed a few moves.

Forged from Blood Radiance Iron, Blood Fiend’s hardness, resilience, and other attributes were naturally without question—it was a top-tier Divine Weapon.

Beyond that, the Blood Radiance Iron’s innate synergy with killing intent was a perfect match for Bai Yuan.

Blood Fiend could easily channel the immense killing intent that surrounded Bai Yuan, intimidating opponents during combat. Those with lesser strength would even have their minds thrown into disarray.

’A fine blade indeed!’

The more Bai Yuan moved with it, the more delighted he became.

With this blade in hand, his strength could increase by twenty percent!

Don’t be fooled; twenty percent might not sound like much, but that’s because there are few external objects that can help a Martial Artist of his level. Any small advantage is enough to secure victory in a life-or-death battle and be the last one standing.

With Bai Yuan wielding it, Blood Fiend would certainly live up to its name.

"You’re a decent blacksmith."

Bai Yuan praised Tang Tie.

Tang Tie was neither servile nor overbearing. "Thank you, Lord Bai."

The moment those two words, "Lord Bai," were spoken, the temperature in the blacksmith’s shop seemed to drop.

A cold glint appeared at the corner of Bai Yuan’s mouth. "How did you know?"

Tang Tie: "A subordinate of Lord Bai would not have the audacity to name a weapon."

Bai Yuan sneered. "I’m afraid you suspected it long before this, didn’t you?"

"Yes. A fine horse desires a great general, and it is the same with weapons. During the time Lord Bai has been visiting the shop, the other weapons have shown signs of wanting to acknowledge a master. A mere subordinate could not possess such an effect. In all of Ling Province, only Lord Bai has that qualification."

Bai Yuan was speechless.

’He hadn’t expected this quiet gourd, Tang Tie, to be so skilled at flattery.’

’Every word was subtle flattery.’

’Still, it was genuinely pleasant to hear.’

The coldness on Bai Yuan’s face dissipated slightly. "Alright, spit it out. What do you want from me?"

Tang Tie was a smart man. If he truly wanted nothing, the wisest course of action would have been to play dumb.

After all, since Bai Yuan had hidden his identity, he clearly didn’t want to be recognized. For Tang Tie to abruptly expose him would only cause displeasure. Therefore, Tang Tie must have a favor to ask.

Tang Tie took a deep breath, his gaze firm. "This commoner wishes to ask Lord Bai to rescue my younger sister. I have already incorporated the thirty percent of Blood Radiance Iron into this curved blade."

Bai Yuan raised an eyebrow.

"I’m listening."

The ball was in his court now. If Tang Tie’s matter was too troublesome, he had no intention of being taken for a fool.

At worst, he could just compensate Tang Tie with something of equivalent value to the thirty percent of Blood Radiance Iron.

’Clearly, Tang Tie had been planning this ever since he realized the person commissioning the weapon was me.’

’His insistence on receiving thirty percent of the Blood Radiance Iron was to first make me feel the sting of the cost, and then present a perfectly crafted curved blade at the opportune moment. That way, I would surely be pleased.’

’He’s quite shrewd.’

Bai Yuan liked dealing with smart people.

Tang Tie began to speak slowly. "Lord Bai, I have a younger sister, Tang Yue. She was an Instructor at the city’s academy, but a short while ago, she offended someone from the Sun Alliance and has been missing ever since."

Bai Yuan’s eyes narrowed slightly.

The cause and effect were simple; he could figure it out without even needing to investigate.

As a famous Weapon Casting Master in the Northern Territory, Tang Tie naturally drew the envy of many in Yanzhou City.

However, due to Tang Tie’s skill and fame, they wouldn’t dare to act against him directly. To put it simply, they cared about their reputation.

But the Sun Alliance’s Leader, Hu Sanyang, came from a criminal background. Being in Yan Province, he was precisely the type to resort to such a despicable act as kidnapping a family member.

Reputation meant little to someone like Hu Sanyang.

In fact, the Sun Alliance’s rapid growth was built on its ruthlessness and its willingness to use any means necessary.

But it was undeniably effective.

Something the other major powers had failed to accomplish was about to be achieved by the Sun Alliance.

If Tang Tie hadn’t been at his wits’ end, he wouldn’t have gone to such lengths to ask for Bai Yuan’s help.

Although his status as a Weapon Casting Master had brought him into contact with many powerful individuals, he only ever interacted with them when they came to collect their weapons.

There were many experts in Yan Province, but almost none who could suppress Hu Sanyang.

Even if Tang Tie went to the Prefect of Yanzhou or the General, Hu Sanyang would never yield. They were all on the same level, so there was no reason for him to bow his head.

Therefore, Tang Tie could only turn his sights to experts from the Outer States.

In truth, besides Bai Yuan, he had two other targets in mind.

But with Bai Yuan’s coincidental appearance in Yan Province, he had been forced to set his plan in motion ahead of schedule.

Tang Tie looked at Bai Yuan, his heart filled with apprehension.

His sister was the apple of his eye. Their parents had died when they were young, and the two had relied on each other to survive.

Later, after Tang Tie became a Weapon Casting Master through his extraordinary talent, he did everything in his power to get his sister, Tang Yue, removed from the artisan registry and placed on the commoner registry. After that, she even entered an academy and became an Instructor.

The Tang Family could finally be said to have produced a scholar.

The Yan Province academy should have been enough to protect Tang Yue from most trouble, but she just had to run into someone like Hu Sanyang, who played by no rules.

A curve formed on Bai Yuan’s lips. "Alright."

Hearing Bai Yuan’s answer, Tang Tie let out a long sigh of relief.

"Thank you, Lord Bai."

"You paid for this. Since it’s a transaction, there’s no need for thanks."

Despite his words, Tang Tie bowed deeply once more.

Bai Yuan sheathed the curved blade, Blood Fiend. The scabbard, of course, was also a gift from Tang Tie.

He glanced at Tang Tie, who was still standing in place.

"You’re not coming?"

Tang Tie froze. He had assumed Bai Yuan would go to the Sun Alliance alone, but he never expected to be told to come along.

"I’m going too?"

Tang Tie hesitated.

Bai Yuan rolled his eyes. "I don’t know what your sister looks like. Of course you have to come and get her yourself."

Visit and read more novel to help us update chapter quickly. Thank you so much!