Desolate Devouring Art

Chapter 12 - Exposing Lies

Following Deacon Lan’s detailed explanation about what happened, Liu Wuxie gently flicked the tip of his toes and grabbed the broken blade Scarred Tiger threw on the ground. When he gave it a gentle flick, it emitted a crisp clanging sound. The reverberation was different from the other weapons produced by the Xu Clan.

A sneer rose on the corner of Liu Wuxie’s lips as he looked at Scarred Tiger without a hint of emotions in his eyes. He asked, “Are you sure you bought this blade from the Xu Clan’s Weaponry Workshop?”

Liu Wuxie’s question instantly made him the center of everyone’s focus, and his tone had an irresistible prestige. He was like an emperor questioning his citizens.

“Are you blind? Your Xu Clan’s symbol is engraved on the handle of this blade!” Scarred Tiger answered Liu Wuxie with contempt, considering it a foolish question. This interaction further proved the existing reputation of Xu Clan’s son-in-law in Azure Billow City.

The Xu Clan engraved weapons they produced with their symbol, which could be recognized at a glance. This blade had the Xu Clan’s symbol on it, so Deacon Lan didn’t dare to blow up this matter and tolerated Scarred Tiger’s attitude. This symbol could only be branded by the Xu Clan’s master blacksmiths and couldn’t be imitated. Even Xu Lingxue believed that this blade was a product of the Xu Clan at first glance.

“Deacon Lan, you’ve been in the Xu Clan for over a decade, and I believe you’re not a stranger to blacksmithing. Tell me, what materials are used in Xu Clan’s weapons?” Liu Wuxie turned to look at Deacon Lan and asked him to explain the Xu Clan’s forging technique and materials used for their weapons.

“Our Xu Clan uses materials from our own Iris Gold Mine and Scarlet Blaze Meteorite Iron to make weapons. They are first melted in a fierce fire and then further tempered in gentle flames. Every weapon can achieve the level of Hundred Refinement.”

Deacon Lan didn’t go into details but provided sufficient information.

“Does anyone have any doubts about that?” Liu Wuxie turned to look at the crowd. The primary materials used in Xu Clan’s weapons weren’t a secret, and everyone nodded in agreement.

“Young Master Liu, what’s the point of saying all this? What has it got to do with this broken blade? Shouldn’t the Xu Clan give us an explanation now that lives are involved because of the inferior quality?” A middle-aged man stepped forth. This man was a regular customer of the Xu Clan’s Weaponry Workshop. He spoke up because what Liu Wuxie had said so far was unrelated to Scarred Tiger’s broken blade.

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Xu Lingxue didn’t say a word and merely looked at Liu Wuxie quietly, but a peculiar light flashed in her eyes.

“Of course they’re related!” Liu Wuxie raised his palm to stop the commotion in the surroundings.

“Brat, speak if you have something to say. I still have businesses to attend to. Let’s hurry up and settle our compensation.” Scarred Tiger urged impatiently with a trace of panic flashing across his eyes. He was able to hide it from everyone else, but Liu Wuxie captured every detail.

With that, Liu Wuxie became the focus of attention, and everyone waited to hear what he would say.

“Young Master Liu, stop beating around the bush and tell us what’s wrong with this broken blade.” Everyone started to become a little impatient. If the Xu Clan had forged this broken blade, the Xu Clan just had to compensate the mercenary group.

Liu Wuxie swept his gaze around before fixing it on Scarred Tiger. He questioned, “Tell me. Who instructed you to make trouble in the Xu Clan’s Weaponry Workshop.”

A terrifying murderous intent swept out, enveloping Scarred Tiger’s mercenary group. This made the mercenary group feel a chill as the temperature in the main hall fell. Who could’ve expected that Liu Wuxie would say such words?

“I brought this blade from the Xu Clan’s Weaponry Workshop, and it has Xu Clan’s symbol on it. Everyone, look at this! The Xu Clan is going too far, accusing us of causing trouble when their weapons killed our brothers. Are they trying to bully us just because the Xu Clan’s Weaponry Workshop is famous?” Scarred Tiger continued to incite the crowd, but he didn’t dare to look Liu Wuxie in the eyes. He was trying to pressure Liu Wuxie using the crowd.

“It looks like you won’t give up without seeing the coffin. I’ll fulfill your wish.” Liu Wuxie turned to look in the direction of the forging chamber. Hu Shi just happened to come out from the forging chamber because the outside commotion had disrupted his comprehension.

“Hu Shi, go and bring out a furnace!”

Hu Shi quickly brought out a furnace, and the temperature in the hall suddenly rose.

“Light the furnace!” Liu Wuxie gave the order.

Hu Shi didn’t hesitate to helm the bellows. As he pulled and pushed the bellows, flames blazed in the furnace, and Liu Wuxie tossed the broken blade in.

This scene finally made Scarred Tiger panic. He said, “I have seen how unreasonable the Xu Clan is today. They seem to be causing all this because they don’t want to compensate us. We’re unlucky this time and won’t buy any weapons from the Xu Clan ever again.”

Scarred Tiger tried to leave with his mercenary group, which made many people look at him strangely.

“Deacon Lan, stop them. No one can leave the Xu Clan’s Weaponry Workshop today.” A majestic aura swept out, shocking Deacon Lan to release his aura involuntarily to stop Scarred Tiger’s mercenary group.

“What are you guys trying to do? We’ve already decided to suck it up, so why are you guys still pushing it?! Are you guys planning to silence us?” Scarred Tiger became furious as he and his mercenary group drew their weapon, taking on a fighting stance.

“Since you guys are already here, are you mocking my Xu Clan by leaving without clarifying things? Or do you think that we’re pushovers?” Liu Wuxie wore a harmless expression, making him seem even more unpredictable. He used pliers to take out the melted broken blade from the furnace. But the molten iron was blue, not a mixture of purple and gold.

“What’s going on?” Hu Shi was stumped. He had worked in the Xu Clan’s Weaponry Workshop for years. The molten iron of their weapons should be a mixture of purple and gold, not blue.

“Hu Shi, melt this one as well.” Liu Wuxie wasn’t in a hurry to explain and picked up a blade on the display wall before tossing it to Hu Shi.

When the blade from the display wall melted, the molten iron was a mixture of purple and gold. It was completely different from the broken blade that Scarred Tiger took out, and this scene naturally shocked everyone.

Xu Lingxue was shocked, with a hint of surprise in her eyes.

On the contrary, Deacon Lan’s face was terrifyingly gloomy. He understood the weapons in Azure Billow City more than others. The Xu Clan’s weapons were forged with Iris Gold Ore, while weapons forged by the Tian Clan used Marine Gale Ore.

The spectators were dumbfounded. The Xu Clan didn’t forge this broken blade, and the molten iron was the best proof. But what was with the Xu Clan’s engravings on the fractured blade? They couldn’t help linking it up with the poaching of Xu Clan’s master blacksmiths. Those master blacksmiths grasped the core secrets of the Xu Clan, and it shouldn’t be difficult for them to imitate the Xu Clan’s engraving.

“Scarred Tiger, how dare you slander the Xu Clan with a fake broken blade?! You must be courting death!” Deacon Lan was furious because he was almost fooled. If Liu Wuxie hadn’t intervened, this incident would have destroyed the Xu Clan. Who could’ve expected that the weapons bearing the Xu Clan’s engravings were not forged by them?

“Perhaps we made a mistake. We were deceived into believing that the Xu Clan forged this blade based on its engraving. After all, it’s nearly impossible to imitate the engraving,” Scarred Tiger said, avoiding eye contact with Deacon Lan. His tone changed the moment he was exposed.

After all, it was reasonable that he came to the Xu Clan’s Weaponry Workshop since it had the Xu Clan’s symbol on it. He believed they wouldn’t do anything to him as long as he admitted his mistake. It was ultimately Xu Clan’s mistake for having a loophole in their symbol that others could exploit.

Deacon Lan was placed in a dilemma. It was clear now that the Xu Clan didn’t forge the broken blade, but it had Xu Clan’s symbol on it. Someone was trying to frame the Xu Clan.

All eyes turned once again to Liu Wuxie, eager to hear what he had to say. After all, he was the one who exposed Scarred Tiger, so they expected him to have the last say in this matter.

“You guys have two choices. Either confess who’s behind this willingly, or I’ll make you spill it.” Liu Wuxie’s eyes were like two sharp swords as he approached Scarred Tiger, scaring him into taking a huge step back. Liu Wuxie had intimidated Scarred Tiger multiple times throughout the day. So, even if he escaped the Xu Clan’s Weaponry Workshop, he would become a laughingstock.

“Young Master Liu, no one instructed us. I had no idea the Xu Clan didn’t forge this blade, and we’re also victims. Two of my brothers died on the mountain range!” Scarred Tiger tried to play the victim card. This way, they would only have to compensate for beating up the Xu Clan’s Weaponry Workshop staff and wouldn’t have to die.

“You’re really stubborn!” Liu Wuxie started losing his patience and released his murderous intent, enveloping the mercenary group. As he slowly walked towards them, they retreated towards the door, waiting for an opportunity to escape.

Deacon Lan was in the Xiantian Realm, and they were confident of escaping as long as they could avoid clashing with him. As for Liu Wuxie, he was just a piece of trash, so the mercenary group didn’t take him seriously.

“Let’s go!” Scarred Tiger gave the order without hesitation and led his mercenary group to break out of the encirclement swiftly.

“Deacon Lan, get the hell out of the Xu Clan if you let one of them escape.” Liu Wuxie didn’t make a move. These people weren’t worthy of him making a move.

Liu Wuxie’s words made Deacon Lan’s heart tremble as he dashed out, releasing his aura and knocking Scarred Tiger’s group back to the center of the main hall.

Stomping down on Scarred Tiger’s chest, Liu Wuxie said indifferently, “Speak. Who’s the mastermind who instructed you guys to make trouble here?!”

Everyone in the surrounding stared at Liu Wuxie as though they were looking at a monster. Since when did the Xu Clan’s infamous garbage become so terrifying?

“You’re a piece of trash. Let me go if you have the guts and fight me one-on-one!” Scarred Tiger gritted his teeth furiously. He wanted to struggle back to his feet but fell back to the ground with Liu Wuxie’s stomp.

“Congratulations. You have successfully pissed me off!” A short knife suddenly appeared in Liu Wuxie’s hand, and blood splashed around with a flash.

“ARRRGGGHHHH!” Scarred Tiger wailed as his entire right arm was severed and his blood dyed the ground red.