BXBX NOVEL Chapter 121 Do Ores Grow On Trees?
"You impudent bastard!"
Clan Master Qing couldn't control his anger. He drew his Dragon Blood Saber and charged at Ikasa.
"If I don't water the grave of Yao Mao with your blood, I am not fit to be a Clan Master."
Qing Mo yelled before slashing horizontally at Ikasa. Not having any experience of fighting against weapon wielders, Ikasa fell into disadvantage. He used his movement technique and maintained distance from the rabid old man.
He was completely put on the backfoot in this encounter. He weaved through the chairs and pillars trying to avoid getting slashed at by the Old Man's wild swings.
His situation became even more precarious as Sect Master Yan joined the battle. His staff made of mysterious wood was good for powerful blunt attacks.
On the very first attack, he almost smashed Ikasa's head. If not for his quick movements, Ikasa would've fainted from the hit.
"Ikasa, use this!"
Seeing his passive state, Lord Zhen threw his sword to Ikasa. He thought a weapon would help him go on the offensive.
Ikasa instinctively grabbed the Sword but didn't know what to do with it.
As he dodged another attack coming from the staff, he cursed City Lord.
'I am a businessman, not a Sword Master! Even the Ikasa of this world did not know how to wield a sword! What am I supposed to do with this?'
Preoccupied with his thoughts, he almost missed Clan Master Qing's attack. He jumped before him from behind a pillar. Startled, Ikasa instinctively stabbed at him with his sword.
Clan Master Qing had no choice but to change his offense to defense. He quickly blocked the stab with his saber. Before he could follow up, Ikasa escaped from his range.
'Where the fuck are you, Feng Yan?'
Ikasa desperately wished his reinforcements would arrive soon. As if hearing his prayers, a servant of the Hu Clan ran into the room.
"Clan Master, not good. They have captured the First Seat, Hu Bei!"
"What?"
Qing Mo immediately stopped in his pursuit.
"Who has captured Hu Bei?"
Grabbing his servant by the collar, he asked urgently. Sect Master Yan kept Ikasa on his toes so he couldn't take this chance to attack Qing Mo.
"The… The Second Commander of the City Guards, Feng Yan."
Veins on Qing Mo's forehead throbbed. His whole face had turned black. He glared at City Lord with hatred.
"Zhen Wu!"
The Clan Master of the Hu Clan roared with anger. His loud roar reverberated in the hall.
Sect Master Yan looked at Qing Mo, only to see him charge at the City Lord with his Saber ready to be thrust into City Lord's wounded body.
Ikasa took advantage of his momentary distraction and closed the distance between him and Sect Master Yan. He started with a Nutcracker Kick which Yan Hao blocked with his staff.
Swinging the sword in his hand wildly, Ikasa distracted the Sect Master and executed a Sweeping Kick. As an Advanced stage Sense Trainer, Yan Hao had much better reflexes. He immediately stopped Ikasa's foot with his staff.
But he missed the wildly swung sword that cut at his thighs. The sword made a deep wound in his left thigh. Irritated, Sect Master Yan swung his staff, hitting Ikasa in the chest and pushing him away.
He did not follow up on his success as his thigh was bleeding profusely and needed his attention.
At this moment, the Sense Trainers fighting in the hall heard a clash of fists and bodies coming from outside.
"Hu Clan! If you want your First Seat alive, escort City Lord Zhen and Sense Trainer Ikasa to us."
A booming voice of Gu Dan fell in the ears of every person present in the Hu Clan. His voice incited Clan Master Qing more. He attacked City Lord with renewed vigor. Without his sword, City Lord suffered under this assault.
City Lord Zhen, who had few new wounds, dodged a slash from Clan Master Qing once again. He did not know who the First Seat of Hu Clan was or what Feng Yan was doing here, but he took advantage of the situation.
He persuaded the Clan Master to give up on his stubbornness.
"Clan Master Qing, your Hu Clan has suffered enough losses today. If you lose your First seat as well, the Clan you have built with your blood, sweat and tears over 20 years will crumble today. Stop this recklessness and let us leave."
City Lord's voice of reason got through to Qing Mo. He lowered his saber and stopped his attacks.
On the other side of the hall, Sect Master Yan and Ikasa had also stopped their fight. They watched each other warily as they recovered from fatigue.
Clan Master Qing turned his back at City Lord and walked towards the door. Nobody could see his anxious expression.
The Son he had raised for twenty years was now in danger. Not to mention Hu Bei was the pillar that could prop up the Hu Clan. He couldn't let him die an unjust death.
When he did not hear the footsteps following him, he turned and asked, "Do you not want to leave?"
His question was directed at the hostile Sense Trainers. In response, City Lord and Ikasa followed him outside right away.
Outside the Hall, two forces faced off against each other. One was significantly smaller than the other, still they staunchly kept the larger force in check.
On Clan Master Qing's arrival, the Hu Clan members parted to make way for him. They glared at the City Lord and Ikasa, who were the cause for their humiliation today.
The two Sense Trainers paid the scorching gazes no mind and walked to Feng Yan's side with their heads held high.
When Feng Yan pushed the tied up Hu Bei toward the Hu Clan's forces, anger flashed in Qing Mo's eyes. He was ready to draw his saber and attack but Hu Bei shook his head.
"They are much more powerful than our men. Each one of them fought three of our clansmen and still didn't suffer defeat."
Clan Master Qing clenched the grip of the saber, but did not draw it. He watched with hatred as the killer of his Second seat walked out from his clan unharmed.
"Ikasa!" His sudden shout attracted the attention of every person around. "Don't be too happy. You have challenged someone far bigger than a mere Hu Clan."
"He" pointing to the City Lord, Clan Master Qing contemptuously continued,"cannot protect you from them unless he begs his Zhen family to vouch for your safety."
Saying his piece, Clan Master Qing retreated inside.
Ikasa kept his real thoughts hidden. Not a single line changed on his face. However, in his heart he was indeed aware of the truth in Clan Master Qing's words.
Yet, this was neither the time nor the place to talk about his predicament. He sent the tattered and tired City Lord back to his Manor.
He walked to the Herb Garden with his men, getting to know them through small talks. When he had established a Private Force, he had never expected them to face off against the majority of Hu Clan's forces without suffering any losses.
Most importantly, there were just fifty of them against more than hundred of the Hu Clan!
His attention was drawn to the Commander of his forces. He was walking with Gu Dan chatting happily since Ikasa was with his men.
"How did you know he was the First Seat of the Hu Clan?"
Feng Yan asked Gu Dan as soon as they were far enough from Hu Clan.
"Because I pay attention, unlike you. I heard a servant murmur something about the First Seat being captured and saw him run inside. So I made a guess that Hu Bei was their First Seat."
Enlightened, Feng Yan had a wide smile on his face. His nose was high in the air as he boasted,
"Hahaha! I beat up the First Seat of the Hu Clan right outside their Clan! How awesome am I!"
Gu Dan snorted at his boast. To burst his bubble, he compared his feat to Ikasa's.
"Che! What's so great about that? Boss Ikasa killed their Second Seat inside the Hu Clan and also fought Clan Master Qing. And even then he does not have a scratch on his body!"
Hearing Gu Dan promote his achievements with such fervor appeased Ikasa's vanity. But Feng Yan's boasts denigrated his achievements.
"If I had a weapon, I would've chopped the head of Clan Master Qing… What's so special about fighting him?"
He approached the two older men. His hands folded behind his back, he asked,"What are the two of you gossiping about behind my back?"
Feng Yan immediately put away his boastful attitude and answered before Gu Dan could open his mouth.
"Nothing! I was just telling Gu Dan to make a weapon for me."
Feng Yan's reply brought forth the problem he had encountered today. The lack of weapons in his arsenal. He put aside his pettiness in favor of the more serious problem.
Not only did he lack weapons and armors, he also lacked weapon related martial skills. He only had one manual that was related to usage of a weapon, the Low Grade Battle technique, [How to clean up: A Janitor's Insights].
'There is nothing I can do about the Manuals, but I can get weapons.'
He contemplated, looking at Blacksmith Gu.
Before he could speak, Gu Dan scathingly refuted Feng Yan's request.
"Do you think ores suitable for weapons grow on trees?"