Volume One: The Emperor’s Sword Chapter 81: The Traitor

From deep within the cavern came the sound of hammering, reminiscent of iron striking iron. It was not only Yun Que who heard it; the others did as well. Their gazes shifted to Yi Hongwen, who had been the last to arrive.

“Are there others here?” Mu Qingyao demanded.

Yi Hongwen shook his head frantically, signaling his ignorance of the source of the noise within. He had never ventured down that path.

The clanging grew clearer.

“That’s the sound of forging,” Yun Que quickly recognized. His home neighbored a blacksmith’s shop, making the sound familiar.

The group grew more puzzled. How could there be forging in a recently sealed mine?

All eyes turned to Yun Que, awaiting his command. Whether for this visit to the mine or their previous journey to Mist Mountain, Mu Qingyao, Zhou Yuanliang, and the others had unconsciously begun to regard Yun Que as their leader. Luo Xiaoyu’s loyalty was unquestioned; if Yun Que asked her to head east, she wouldn’t dream of going west.

“Let’s take a look. Judging by the sound, it’s not far,” Yun Que said, leading the way into the right-hand tunnel, Mu Qingyao close behind.

Yi Hongwen had no desire to get involved—he’d been terrified by the tree demon and intended to leave on his own. But upon seeing Zhou Yuanliang brandish his flying sword, Yi Hongwen could only follow, face full of misery.

Within fifteen minutes, the passage opened into a wide space. Deep in the cavern was a recently excavated mining pit, spacious and piled high with unremoved ore.

At the pit’s bottom, numerous torches blazed, illuminating the area as bright as day. Dozens of figures, strong and muscular, labored busily.

Amidst the flickering flames, hammers whirled, white smoke rising now and then—they were forging weapons inside the mine!

On one side of the pit lay hundreds of long blades, each with a blood groove.

Barbarian weapons!

Looking closer at the craftsmen, their attire was rough, their exposed arms marked with totem-like symbols.

Barbarians!

Seeing a group of barbarians forging weapons in the mining pit left Mu Qingyao and the others stunned.

Even Yun Que was taken aback.

The charges against the Mu family had evidently been fabricated; the emperor had merely needed an excuse to seize the mine for his imperial sword. How could barbarians truly be found in the Mu family’s mine?

Could it be that the Mu family actually colluded with the barbarians?

As this question arose in Yun Que’s mind, Mu Qingyao’s shoulder suddenly trembled.

She stared fixedly at a gaunt man in a blue brocade robe deep within the pit. He was not dressed as a barbarian—his bearing was noble, hands clasped behind his back as he conversed with an elderly man with a long beard, occasionally laughing.

“Uncle…” Mu Qingyao whispered the title she least wished to utter.

The man in the blue robe at the pit’s bottom was none other than Mu Qingzhou’s cousin, Mu Qingyao’s uncle, Mu Wan!

Mu Wan held a pivotal role in the Mu family, responsible for transportation; all ore shipments from the mines fell under his jurisdiction. He was considered Mu Qingzhou’s right hand. Yet who could have imagined that such a core figure would collude with the barbarians?

Remembering her father’s imprisonment, Mu Qingyao clenched her fists in fury.

One rotten fish spoils the whole pot; the Mu family’s years of accumulation destroyed by a traitor’s hands!

Yi Hongwen now saw Mu Wan at the pit’s bottom and exclaimed in surprise, “Isn’t that—”

Before he could finish, Zhou Yuanliang covered his mouth.

The laughter at the pit’s bottom paused briefly, then resumed with Mu Wan speaking grandly and the long-bearded elder mostly listening, occasionally replying.

The elder seemed to sense something and glanced up at the mine’s entrance.

Yun Que and the others had already hidden themselves in the shadows.

Not noticing anything amiss, the elder turned his attention back to Mu Wan, though the smile on his lips grew strange, as if tinged with mockery.

The clanging persisted, the group of barbarian men forging methodically.

Their speed and strength in crafting blades were astonishing, the frequency of their hammer swings far exceeding ordinary blacksmiths.

Though the finished swords lacked refinement, their sheer quantity meant that within days, an entire barbarian army could be armed.

Barbarians relied on brute force in battle; as long as their blades were sharp enough, they could charge relentlessly. Even dull weapons mattered little—their innate strength could drive a blunt blade through an enemy’s body.

Listening to the forging, Yun Que’s brows furrowed.

Without needing to fight, he could tell from the sound alone that these barbarians possessed extraordinary strength, approaching that of Hu Tieshan, the famed blacksmith.

These were no ordinary barbarians—they were elite, perhaps even blood barbarians.

Especially the long-bearded elder, who radiated a sinister aura, like a snake or scorpion.

In silence, Mu Qingyao glanced at Yun Que for guidance, Zhou Yuanliang and Luo Xiaoyu awaiting his decision as well.

Yun Que pondered and then gestured toward the mine’s exit.

He signaled the group to withdraw.

Now was not the time.

Without knowing their enemy’s true strength, acting rashly would only invite danger.

Especially with a tree demon lurking in another tunnel—no one could guarantee it wouldn’t go berserk upon discovering its Thousand Leaf Sword missing.

The situation was complex and perilous; retreat was the wisest course.

The group slowly backed away, distancing themselves from the scene, then turned toward the mine’s exit.

Yi Hongwen, full of questions, could not speak, his mouth firmly covered by Zhou Yuanliang.

Only when they were safely far away did Zhou Yuanliang release him.

“That was Mu Wan, wasn’t it? So he’s the one colluding with the barbarians! Qingyao, why didn’t you act? If you caught him, the Mu family would be saved!” Yi Hongwen gasped, urgently inquiring.

Mu Qingyao ignored him, head down as she hurried along, contemplating what to do next—whether to seek help from the Sword Palace or appeal directly to the emperor.

Zhou Yuanliang patted Yi Hongwen’s shoulder sympathetically. “Worry about yourself, kid. Grown-ups’ matters aren’t for children. And remember, next time you need to relieve yourself, pull your pants down first.”

Yi Hongwen, silenced and flushed red with embarrassment.

“Act now? Aren’t you afraid the tree demon will come and eat you whole?” Luo Xiaoyu mimicked a tiger, trying to scare him.

Yi Hongwen had never seen the true horror of the tree demon; Luo Xiaoyu had—she knew it was a seventh-level monster, a terrifying beast.

Yun Que led at the front, his gaze cold and sharp.

Their retreat was partly out of caution regarding the tree demon, but there was another reason.

The guards outside the mine.

How could barbarians appear in a mine guarded by the Mist Pavilion?

This was something Yun Que could not comprehend.

The tree demon could burrow underground, so its presence in the depths was surprising but plausible. But barbarians could not tunnel—how had they entered?

The backup tunnel entrance was overgrown with weeds, showing no signs of a large group passing through.

There was only one route into the mine—the main entrance guarded by the Mist Pavilion.

As he pondered, Yun Que heard a commotion behind him.

“Hiss! Hiss! My hand!”

Yi Hongwen suddenly cried out, stopping the group in their tracks.

“What are you yelling for? If the barbarians hear you, you’re done for!” Zhou Yuanliang scolded.

“I don’t want to yell, but it hurts!” Yi Hongwen raised his hand miserably. “Something bit me!”

When he lifted his right hand, everyone saw a palm-sized scorpion clinging to his finger.

His entire hand was turning blue and purple before their eyes!