This was because he could not figure out why an important person like Zhang Yinfan was looking for a nobody like him.
In one of the barracks, a middle-aged man looked up upon Ou Yangming’s arrival. He was a gentle white-faced scholar, which made him out of sync with the manly environment in the camp.
“Sir Zhang, were you looking for me?” Ou Yangming bowed and asked respectfully.
Zhang Yinfan nodded. “You’re Ou Yangming, take a seat.” He poured a cup of tea for him.
Ou Yangming was both surprised and happy. Zhang Yinfan had always been regarded as an untouchable figure, yet he was treating him kindly at the moment, which made him feel anxious.
“What’s your relationship with Old Craftsman?” Zhang Yinfan asked abruptly.
The young man was stunned, but he quickly responded, “I’m just a helper who does miscellaneous work for him.”
“Oh? Just a helper?” Zhang Yinfan seemed doubtful.
Ou Yangming immediately affirmed, “I’m really just a helper, you can ask around if you don’t believe me. If I lied to you, I’m willing to be killed.”
Zhang Yinfan finally loosened up and smiled. “I see.” He pondered for a while, then continued, “Ou Yangming, I’d like to discuss something with you, would you be willing?”
Ou Yangming stood up, and answered, “Sir, what orders do you have?”
Zhang Yinfan had a friendly smile on his face. “It has been hard for you to work for Old Craftsman, hehe, I wonder if you’d like to come to the Provision Camp? If you’d like to, I’ll guarantee you a way to become an official soldier.”
Ou Yangming looked up right away as he was in disbelief.
Upon seeing him, Zhang Yinfan nodded satisfyingly. “Old Craftsman found a job for you, but in my opinion, it’s not suitable.” He then clapped his hands softly, and a handsome young man who was around Ou Yangming’s age walked out.
“This is Zhang Hanyu, my nephew,” Zhang Yinfan introduced, then mentioned coldly, “We’ll meet a few senior officers in a while. You’ll reject the job in front of them, then recommend Hanyu take over. Do you understand?”
Ou Yangming might be young, but he was not dumb. More than a decade of a lonely and bitter life had taught him well.
‘This isn’t a blessing at all, he’s clearly trying to steal my benefit!’
Seeing that Ou Yangming was murmuring to himself, Zhang Yinfan’s face turned cold. “You received orders from Old Craftsman, which means you’re under my rule. Hehe, you should know what the consequences are if you don’t obey me, right?”
Ou Yangming’s face changed. Needless to say, he could sense the threat coming from those words.
Zhang Yinfan added, “Think carefully. If you listen to me, not only will I guarantee you a place as an official soldier, but I’ll also give you a hundred taels of silver as your reward. If you don’t…” When his voice slowly became softer, it was as though the room temperature lowered too.
Ou Yangming shuddered. He sensed slight pain on his skin and quickly realized that Zhang Yinfan was going to kill him.
Feeling appalled, he fell to the ground and replied, “I understand, I’ll obey your orders!”
It was then when Zhang Yinfan finally showed a gentle face. He helped Ou Yangming up, and even knocked the dust out of his clothes for him. “Good, I admire young men like you. Remember your promise, and come with me.”
Ou Yangming followed him obediently along with Zhang Hanyu.
On their way, he stole a glance at Zhang Hanyu and noticed that he was extremely elated.
He cried to himself. ‘Old Craftsman, is the job you’ve given me a blessing or a curse…’
Before long, they arrived at a courtyard in the rear.
A brocade-clothed elder was seen sitting leisurely in the inner hall, and he stood and laughed as soon as he saw Zhang Yinfan. “Sir Zhang, did you bring him?”
Zhang Yinfan replied respectfully, “Sir, I’ve brought Ou Yangming.” He then reached his hand out in introduction, “Sir, I’ve informed Ou Yangming about the matter, but he knows that he’s not that blessed, so he dares not accept the job. As such, he wants to give the chance to a friend.”
“Give the chance to a friend?” The brocade-clothed elder curled his lips and looked at Zhang Yinfan coldly.
Zhang Yinfan trembled a little, and he quickly explained, “Sir, you and my elder brother are both courtiers. He always says that you’re just, stern, and sharp-eyed, so he told me to learn from you.”
The brocade-clothed man was stunned. He hesitated for a while, then sighed. “I’m here by the order of the imperial court, thus I’m just here to carry out my duty. As long as everything complies with the rules, I’ll act accordingly.”
Zhang Yinfan was delighted. “Yes, sir, you’re very wise!” He then turned to say, “Ou Yangming, this is Sir Hu from the imperial court’s Inspection Division, quick, greet him!”
Ou Yangming responded nervously, “Greetings, Sir Hu.”
The brocade-clothed man smiled. “I’m Hu Yicheng from the Inspection Division, what’s your name?”
Ou Yangming secretly cursed him for asking deliberately, but he answered with respect, “I’m Ou Yangming from the Armament Camp, sir.”
Hu Yicheng nodded lightly. “Alright, let me ask you. Do you refuse to receive the Military Fire, so you’re giving the opportunity to him?” When he asked, he glanced at Zhang Hanyu who was behind Zhang Yinfan.
Zhang Hanyu’s eyes instantly glowed and his muscles were slightly tensed up.
The handsome young man, who maintained a calm look until this moment, had finally revealed his nervousness.
Chapter 2
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
Ou Yangming was about to answer Hu Yicheng when he was suddenly moved.
‘The Military Fire?’
He looked up strangely.
On their way here, he had been guessing what post it was that made Zhang Yinfan want to seize it by force, and was willing to exchange it for the opportunity to become an official soldier. Judging from Zhang Yinfan’s stingy character, he would not have done that if he was not going to benefit.
Finally, the truth was revealed. It turned out that Old Craftsman had gotten the Military Fire for Ou Yangming instead of an official post.
When Ou Yangming recalled the mysterious flames that Old Craftsman used to fix the broken saber, his heart pumped fast and his face reddened.
Hu Yicheng turned to frown at Zhang Yinfan as he was stunned and scoffed out of discontent.
Next, Zhang Yinfan and his nephew looked at each other with the feeling that things might not be right.
He spoke with a dark face, “Ou Yangming, Sir Hu is asking you a question, answer him!”
Zhang Hanyu also expressed his impatience. “Ou Yangming, what did you promise earlier? You better think it through!” It was evident through his tone that he was threatening Ou Yangming.
Upon hearing them, Ou Yangming clenched his fists tightly and had conflicting thoughts in his head.
‘The Military Fire, it’s the Military Fire! As long as I possess it, I’ll become a real blacksmith in the Armament Camp, just like Old Craftsman.
‘Though there are many official soldiers at the camp, there are only slightly more than twenty blacksmiths who possessed the Military Fire. A normal Military Fire Blacksmith may not be an honorable position, but the fact that one possessed the Military Fire is enough to let one keep a foothold in the station.’
However, when he turned to look at Zhang Hanyu, who stared back fiercely, it was as if a pail of ice water had been poured on the burning fire in his heart, so much so that he felt like he was shivering in severe winter.
‘So what if I possess the Military Fire? The Armament Camp is still under the Provision Camp’s control. What should I do if Zhang Yinfan goes after me?’
Ou Yangming was drenched in sweat at that moment.
On the other hand, Zhang Hanyu gritted h
is teeth because a great opportunity was within reach, but the silly fellow was not saying anything. His eyes were fiery and his handsome face turned hideous as he shouted again, “Ou Yangming, give him your answer now!”
When Ou Yangming saw the hatred in his eyes, he suddenly felt cheerful.
‘I offended them the instant I hesitated, so even if I stand down now, they won’t let me off easily. Especially Zhang Hanyu, the killing intent shown through his eyes frightens me.’
In actual fact, Ou Yangming might be swayed if Zhang Hanyu were to persuade him with tactful words and offered him great benefits, but Zhang Hanyu’s strong killing intent encouraged him to be cruel.
After all, he was an orphan. While he did not have anyone to support him, it was the bit of ruthlessness and viciousness he had that helped him survive so far.
With that, he stuck his chest out and took a step forward to kowtow at Hu Yicheng. “Sir Hu, I’m willing to accept the Military Fire. I’m sure you understand.”
Zhang Yinfan’s face twitched right away. He forced himself to keep a smile on his face.
On the opposite end, Zhang Hanyu was not as shrewd. He glared at Ou Yangming with tightly clenched fists. Had Hu Yicheng not been present, he would have pounced on Ou Yangming to tear his heart apart.
Hu Yicheng cleared his throat. “Sir Zhang, you heard him.” He then waved his hand. “Since you brought him here, I’ll be carrying out my duty.”
Zhang Yinfan bowed at him and responded, “Yes, I’ll be making a move then.” Next, he glanced at Ou Yangming and remarked, “Ou Yangming, you’re very good, you’re indeed an outstanding talent in the Armament Camp.” His tone was calm yet cold.
Following that, he quickly left with Zhang Hanyu.
Ou Yangming was having mixed feelings at that moment because he knew that he offended Zhang Yinfan, but it was too late to regret.
Hu Yicheng shook his head and looked at the young man pitifully as if he could foresee his impending misery. Nevertheless, it had nothing to do with him, and he only needed to execute his duty.
He lifted his hand to retrieve a badge. “Ou Yangming, this is a Military Fire Badge. Guide yourself by sticking it on your forehead.”
Ou Yangming was startled. “That, that’s it?”
Hu Yicheng nodded slowly. “The wonders of a Military Fire Badge are beyond your imagination, just do it.”
Sure enough, receiving the Military Fire was a great opportunity, but it did not mean much to a figure like Hu Yicheng. Besides, having angered Zhang Yinfan, it was uncertain if Ou Yangming could survive. Thus, Hu Yicheng was not going to associate himself with him.
Ou Yangming accepted the Military Fire Badge carefully, then placed it on his forehead.
The metal used to forge the Military Fire Badge was unknown and it felt ice-cold when he stuck it on, but burning energy that seemed capable of destroying Heaven and destructing Earth quickly surged into his head.
He screamed and wanted to remove the badge, but it stuck as if it was glued to his forehead.
Just as he was at a loss, he suddenly realized that his consciousness had left his body to enter a peculiar yet mysterious space.
It was a space that was lit by countless stars.
This space was boundless with innumerable stars.
Ou Yangming was struck dumb as he sensed the endless stars in the illusory world. He had a misconception at that moment that he could touch the stars as long as he reached his hand out, no matter how near or far, and how big or small they were.
Nonetheless, he did not reach out to grab them. Instead, he tried his best to recall his days spent with Old Craftsman.
Old Craftsman had spoken to him about the Military Fire numerous times. Though he did not talk about it in detail, he often leaked some important information, be it intentionally or otherwise. Ou Yangming never noticed anything off about it in the past, but when he finally recalled those moments, he began to feel that Old Craftsman did it on purpose.
The Military Fire was a unique spirit fire gifted by the dynasty. It could be used by ordinary people, consuming their physical power and endurance without causing negative effects on their life. On the contrary, one who was hardworking in using it could achieve the special effect of tempering one’s body or even one’s vital internal organs.
The biggest advantage of having the Military Fire was the ability to forge and fix armaments such as sabers, spears, shields, and armor at any time. Furthermore, since the Military Fire was a type of spirit fire, a lucky person could add extra attributes to armor.
In a way, those who possessed the Military Fire were like walking smithing tables that could do whatever they wanted.
As such, they were the most welcomed people in the military camp.
Even though the Military Fire was a spirit fire of the lowest grade, it could also either be fine, poor, good, or bad. If one was lucky enough to acquire a high-grade Military Fire, the treatment and benefits one would receive as compared to acquiring a low-grade one were Heaven and Earth apart.
There were plenty of stars at that moment, but Ou Yangming could only pick one.
The sizes of the stars represented the spirit fire’s foundational strength. The bigger it was, the higher the spirit fire’s temperature. Naturally, he would pick the biggest one if he wanted to be blessed with good days.
For all that, it was actually difficult to judge the sizes of the stars due to the distance. Unless he was nearer to them, he could not identify their real sizes.
Ou Yangming’s consciousness drifted in the sea of stars, and he had seen at least 800 stars, yet he could not make a decision.
Eventually, he noticed that he felt unusually exhausted, as though he had not slept for three days and three nights. He felt like he was going to pass out.
He quickly awoke. Seeing as he was about to fall unconscious, he gritted his teeth to gather his remaining mental conception on a star.
The instant his mental conception was about to touch the star, he suddenly noticed a purple light.
The light was a shooting star that had a long tail, and it came from an unknown spot far away. It bore a beautiful purple color that attracted him right away.
Subsequently, Ou Yangming’s mental conception disappeared, and the last thought he had before he passed out was that it would be great to have that beautiful star…
…
Ou Yangming felt like his mental conception slowly emerged from a vast ocean.
He tried to find his footing as he stood up and held his head while grimacing in pain.
A gentle voice was heard. “You overused your mental power, which is why you’re getting a headache. Sit and rest before you leave.”
Ou Yangming could barely open his eyes, but he responded, “Sir Hu.”
Hu Yicheng nodded, then went toward the inner hall, and left the dazed Ou Yangming behind.
In the inner hall, a scholar was seen sitting in front of a chessboard. He mentioned, “Elder Hu, you were going to lose, how could you leave with the excuse that you have official business to attend to? Hmph, you’re shameless!”
Hu Yicheng did not know whether to laugh or to cry. “I had a military affair to deal with. An armament master exchanged his fifty years of diligence in the empire for a chance to use the Military Fire Badge, and the person he sent came earlier, so should I have attended to him or not?”
The scholar was stunned for a while before he said, “I see, looks like I’ve wrongfully accused you. Eh, why is your complexion unusual? Did something happen?”
Hu Yicheng replied, “I really can’t hide anything from you because of your Ghost Eye.” Hence, he told the scholar about Zhang Yinfan and the others, then sighed. “Scum like him should really be killed.”
The scholar shook his head. “Zhang Yinfan is a member of the Zhang family. He may be filthy, but he didn’t commit a sin so heavy that he deserves to die.” He then waved his hand to change the topic. “Enough of this, let’s play chess!”
Hu Yicheng s
coffed at him but went to sit on the other side of the chessboard anyway. When he picked up a chess piece, a thought crossed his mind.
‘I can’t believe that Ou Yangming is gifted with mental power. He’s very talented to have stayed half an hour inside the Military Fire Badge considering that he never cultivated martial arts.’
‘He offended the Zhang family though, what a pity.’
Chapter 3
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
Ou Yangming frowned and left the big residence with a twisted expression.
He ran back to the Armament Camp as fast as he could. Old Craftsman had been waiting for him in his barracks for a long time, and chuckled upon seeing him running back quickly. “Fella, how are you feeling?”
Ou Yangming felt relieved the moment he saw Old Craftsman. In the entire military camp, the old man was the only person he trusted completely.
He uttered, “Old man, I… I brought you trouble.” As soon as he finished, he collapsed in Old Craftsman’s arms.
Old Craftsman caught him but was puzzled.
‘Didn’t he go to acquire the Military Fire Badge? Why did he say that he’s caused me trouble?’
The old man scoffed at Ou Yangming, who had passed out, then carried him to his bed, removed his coat and shoes, and covered him with a blanket. While doing all that, the old man scolded Ou Yangming softly, saying that he would beat him up once the young fellow awoke, but he spoke so softly that it would only be strange if Ou Yangming heard him.
A day and night later, Ou Yangming finally woke up.
He rolled around with the intention of staying in bed but suddenly realized that he was wide awake, without a hint of sleepiness.
Even after blinking a few times, he could not figure it out, thus he quickly recalled the various events before he slept.
He later sighed a breath of relief when he sat up to find a familiar environment.
Old Craftsman entered the barrack upon hearing his movement and tossed him a bag of clothes. “Fella, when did you become a lazy pig? Quick, get dressed and get to work.”
Immortal Path to Heaven c1-725 Page 3
