Chapter 401: Master Han’s Condition (2)

Liam’s breath caught in his throat the moment he truly saw Master Han standing in the doorway. His fists clenched so tightly at his sides that his nails cut through his palms, drawing blood that dripped onto the courtyard stones beneath his feet.Master Han was in terrible condition. The afternoon light cast harsh shadows across his face, highlighting the gauntness that hadn’t been there before, the deep lines of pain etched around his eyes and mouth.

His posture, once proud and straight despite his age, now listed slightly to one side as he unconsciously favored his damaged leg.

Liam had no idea how much pain Master Han was enduring at this exact moment, but he knew it wasn’t something that could be overlooked or dismissed.

And yet despite everything he’d suffered, despite the agony he must be in, despite the fact that all of this had happened because of his connection to Liam, Master Han still managed a warm and genuine smile that reached his eyes.

That smile hurt worse than any physical blow Liam had ever taken.

For just a moment, Liam closed his eyes, and when he did, immense killing intent flashed through them like lightning across a dark sky. His aura suppressing surged outward, carrying with it the promise of violence so absolute that it made the air itself feel heavy.

Luo, standing beside him, felt that surge of intent wash over him like a physical force. He shivered uncontrollably, his body responding to a threat his conscious mind couldn’t fully process.

For a fraction of a second, he felt like a horrible monster had turned its gaze directly upon him, something ancient and merciless that saw him as nothing more than an insect to be crushed.

But he knew it wasn’t any monster. It was Liam, his grandmaster. The realization somehow made it worse rather than better.

Liam opened his eyes and forced the killing intent back down, burying it deep where it wouldn’t leak out and frighten the two people in front of him. He summoned a smile to his face—not as genuine as Master Han’s, but the best he could manage given the rage burning in his chest—and walked forward.

"Master Han," Liam said, his voice carefully controlled. "I’m sorry for taking so long to return. I should have been here."

Master Han’s smile widened, and he actually laughed—a genuine sound of amusement that seemed completely at odds with his condition. "Master, what are you apologizing for? Please, there’s no need for such words between us."

He shifted his weight slightly, wincing as the movement put pressure on his damaged leg, though he tried to hide the reaction. "I knew they would come after you eventually. You destroyed their branch in the city and killed everyone in it, after all. That kind of action doesn’t go unanswered. And I knew, when they couldn’t find you, that they might turn their attention to me. I was prepared for the possibility."

Master Han’s expression grew more serious, though the warmth never left his eyes. "Whatever happened was simply my own small misfortune. The wheel of karma turns for all of us. Sometimes we find ourselves beneath it rather than riding atop it. That’s the nature of existence, Master. You mustn’t blame yourself for the choices others made."

His smile returned, brightening despite the obvious pain etched into every line of his face. "Besides, I’m already healing well enough. The worst has passed. Once I’ve recovered sufficiently to travel, I intend to leave this city and start fresh somewhere else. Perhaps a smaller town where I can continue my craft without drawing attention. The world is large, and there are always places that need a competent blacksmith."

Liam gave a small laugh in response, trying even harder to mask the growing killing intent that threatened to consume his thoughts entirely. His face remained completely calm, his expression pleasant and reassuring, but inside his heart was anything but peaceful.

The fact that Master Han was trying to comfort him, trying to absolve him of responsibility, trying to smile and make plans for a future working in some remote village with crippled hands—it made everything worse. The old blacksmith’s dignity in the face of such injustice only intensified Liam’s determination to make those responsible pay in ways they couldn’t possibly imagine.

"Master Han," Liam said gently, "I will take care of everything. You don’t need to worry about the assassins, or about leaving the city, or about anything else except your recovery. Just focus on getting better. Leave the rest to me."

Master Han sighed softly, his gaze fixing on Liam with an intensity that suggested he was seeing far more than a casual observer might. He felt how different Liam was compared to before. It wasn’t just his appearance, though that had changed in subtle ways. It was the aura emanating from him. It was like an invisible pressure that pushed against Master Han’s will, trying to force him to submit, to lower his head, to acknowledge a hierarchy that transcended normal social conventions.

If not for his strong will, forged through decades of working with resistant materials and stubborn metals, Master Han suspected he would have gone down on his knees long ago. The pressure was that intense.

He could tell that Liam was strong enough to handle the assassins. Probably strong enough to handle the entire organization behind them if it came to that. But the truth was that Master Han didn’t want Liam to put himself in danger because of him. He was just one old blacksmith. His life wasn’t worth the risk of whatever consequences might come from attacking such a powerful organization.

But he also knew, looking at the carefully controlled expression on Liam’s face, that asking him not to take action would be impossible. The decision had already been made. The only question was how thorough the response would be.

Master Han smiled softly, deciding to change the subject rather than argue a point he’d already lost. "Forgive me for keeping master standing outside like some common visitor. Please, come inside and make yourself comfortable. It’s not much, but what I have is yours."

Liam nodded, following as Master Han turned and limped slowly back into the house. Each step the old blacksmith took was carefully measured, his damaged leg forcing him to move with deliberate caution. Luo fell into step behind them, his expression still showing traces of the fear he’d felt when Liam’s killing intent had leaked out.

The interior of the house was modest, furnished only with what was absolutely necessary for daily living. A simple table and chairs. A sleeping mat in one corner. Shelves holding a few books and personal items. Everything was clean and well-maintained despite Master Han’s injuries, suggesting that Luo had been helping to keep the place in order.

Liam’s eyes swept across the space, taking in the details. He noticed immediately that there was nothing indicating Master Han was married or had children. The house felt like the dwelling of a man who’d devoted his entire life to his craft, with little time or interest in building the usual domestic arrangements.

It was surprising, but not what mattered most at the moment.

They reached the small living area, and Master Han gestured toward one of the chairs. "Please, Master, sit. You must be tired from your journey. Can I offer you something to eat or drink? I apologize that I don’t have much to offer, but whatever I have is yours."

Liam gave a small smile, appreciating the gesture despite knowing that Master Han could barely walk, let alone prepare refreshments. "Just water would be fine, thank you."

Luo immediately understood the unspoken message and nodded. "I’ll get it right away, Grandmaster."

He moved toward what Liam assumed was the kitchen area, leaving him alone with Master Han for the moment.

Liam turned to the old blacksmith, who was still standing despite the obvious pain it caused him. "Master Han, please sit. There’s no need to remain standing on my account."

Master Han nodded and carefully lowered himself into a chair, the relief visible on his face the moment his weight was off his damaged leg. "Thank you, Master."

Liam stood and walked toward him, his expression growing more serious. "I’d like to examine your injuries, if you’ll permit it. I need to understand the full extent of the damage."

Master Han looked up in surprise, his eyebrows rising. "Master, do you have knowledge of medicine as well? I hadn’t realized your expertise extended in that direction."

Liam smiled at the question. "I’m very knowledgeable about it, actually."

Master Han’s surprise transformed into soft, disbelieving laughter. The sound was genuine, carrying a note of bemused wonder. To him, Liam was already a monstrous genius when it came to forging. The teenager—or whatever he was now—had demonstrated mastery of blacksmithing that far exceeded Master Han’s own skills despite decades of difference in experience.

But to also be knowledgeable in medicine? To claim expertise in yet another complex discipline? It felt like the heavens were truly unfair, by pouring talents into one person.

Still, Master Han didn’t refute the claim. He simply nodded his permission.

Liam simply smiled and began his examination.

In truth, he’d already seen everything at a glance the moment Master Han had stepped into the courtyard.

Thanks to his Primordial Alchemy Sovereign talent and his cultivation, he saw the fractured bones that had healed incorrectly, the torn ligaments that had scarred in ways that limited movement, the damaged nerves that would prevent proper sensation and control.

The condition was severe. Master Han’s left hand was, at best, permanently crippled by conventional standards. He would never be able to use it for blacksmithing again, not with the precision and strength the craft required. His right leg would eventually heal to a functional state, but it would continue to hurt him periodically for the rest of his life, and he would carry a slight limp forever.

No ordinary physician would be able to restore Master Han to his previous condition, much less improve upon it. For the best chance of recovery through conventional means, he would need access to a very high-level physician.

But since Liam was here, there was no need for any physician at all.

With his Primordial Alchemy Sovereign talent, injuries of this nature were relatively simple to address. He could create pills that would take perfect care of it and leave Master Han better than he’d been even before the attack.

Liam stepped back from his examination, a confident smile crossing his face. "Your condition isn’t as bad as it appears, Master Han. With the right treatment, you’ll be fine. I can create a pill that will address these injuries completely."

Master Han looked at Liam in genuine surprise, then laughed heartily. He knew how bad his condition is, and at first, he thought Liam was simply trying to make him feel better, offering false hope to lift his spirits. But when he saw the serious, confident look on Liam’s face, he realized his master wasn’t joking.

He studied Liam intently for a long moment, trying to make sense of what he was hearing.

Liam had just told him that injuries the best physician in Blackstone City had declared permanent and career-ending weren’t that bad? That a single pill would fix damage that had left him unable to hold a hammer properly?

Part of him wanted to dismiss it as impossible, as the kind of baseless optimism people offered when they didn’t know what else to say. But something deep inside him, some instinct he’d learned to trust over decades, told him that wasn’t the case.

He smiled inwardly, choosing to believe. He would wait and see if his master could truly restore his hand and leg, if he could return to the craft that defined him. He just hoped desperately that this wasn’t baseless hope, because if it was, the disappointment would be more devastating than the original injury.

Liam had no idea what thoughts were running through Master Han’s head. His mind was already moving forward, cataloging what he would need to create the appropriate pills.

The plant materials were easy enough. He could harvest those from the secret realm where countless rare herbs grew in abundance. But he would also need some beast blood and high-quality flesh for certain ingredients. Those wouldn’t be difficult to obtain either—the system store would have exactly what he needed, and they will be far superior to anything available in this universe.

The only other requirement was an alchemy cauldron, and again, the system store would provide.

Everything he needed was within easy reach. He just had to retrieve it.

Liam turned toward Luo, who had just returned carrying a simple cup of water. "Luo, I need you to look after Master Han for a few minutes. I have to step out briefly to gather some materials."

Luo’s expression showed surprise and a flash of concern. His grandmaster was leaving again already, so soon after returning? But the clarification that it would only be a few minutes made him sigh internally with relief.

He nodded, his voice steady despite the lingering fear from earlier. "Of course, Grandmaster. We’ll be waiting here for your return."

Liam nodded in acknowledgment, then turned to Master Han. "Give me just a few minutes. I’ll return shortly with everything I need."

Master Han nodded, his expression showing curiosity mixed with hope he was trying not to acknowledge too openly. "Take whatever time you need, Master."

Liam smiled once more, then simply vanished.

Luo and Master Han stared at the empty space, both hoping for Liam’s immediate return.