Night of the Broken Gliph

A hot aura gushed out of the box as soon as the shopkeeper opened it. His eyes lit up immediately. The aura didn’t belong to the gliph weapon, but the method of making it instead.

Fire forging! 

With just the aura, the shopkeeper who had seen many gliph weapons could immediately tell that the weapon was made by fire-forging. A long black rod could be seen lying quietly on the velvet cloth when the box was completely open. 

The rod was pitch black and there was only one cloud-like gliph on the middle of it. The palm-sized gliph only consisted of a few strokes, and it looked like a bunch of cute clouds. 

“This is a grade two gliph weapon?” Chan Ching took a look and sneered. “How is this a gliph weapon when I don’t see any gliphs?”

The shopkeeper opened his mouth, hesitating but ended up remaining silent. 

“Erm… Mister housekeeper, you’re not in charge of gliph weapons, are you?” Chui Yim sighed and said in a strange tone.

“For such a large and well-known clan like the Chan Clan, I won’t be involved in all matters as a housekeeper,” Chan Ching said. 

“There you have it.” Chui Yim nodded. “Take the gliph weapon back and let a professional inspect it. With Mr Chor here and as an outstanding and well-known clan, I’m not afraid that you will play tricks,” Chui Yim said, emphasising the phrase “outstanding and well-known clan” again. Chan Ching opened his mouth to say something but was stopped by the shopkeeper, who pulled his arm and shook his head. 

Chan Ching let out a snort and looked at the elder next to him. “Take it!” 

Before he left, he squinted his eyes and turned towards Chui Yim fiercely. “If it turns out to not be a grade two gliph weapon, I’ll let you have a taste of Chan Clan’s anger.”

However, Chui Yim wasn’t even afraid. In fact, he didn’t even pay attention to Chan Ching. “Mr Chor, how are you and Miss Fa now?”

Chor Shing Chit’s face twitched on hearing this. The guests haven’t even left, and you’re gossiping with me? Meanwhile, Chan Ching was so angry that he turned red; he left with a wave of his sleeve and a snort. 

Weapon Street, The Chan Clan. 

As the leader of the Southary’s Weapon Street, the headquarters of the Chan Clan was naturally established in Weapon Street. It was located amongst the shops and occupied a huge area. Ever since the rise of the Chan Clan ten years ago, they hadn’t stopped expanding their mansion. And it was all because there were more metalsmiths, gliphists and gliphers joining the clan. 

In the garden sat a fake hill. There was a black cave next to the hill. This garden was the Clan Leader, Chan Tiet’s residence. One needed to pass through many barriers to reach the garden. Nobody knew who or what was in the cave. 

But Chan Ching knew. He came here with the two-chambered glipher after many teleportations. 

As soon as they entered the hole, the ice-cold temperature seeped into their bones. Chan Ching, who wasn’t a cultivator, felt unwell immediately, but he came prepared. Despite the scorching sun, he wore a thick cotton-padded jacket and walked down the cave. There was a small pond filled with fishes in the garden, and this cave led to a space under the pond. 

When the Chan Clan expanded their mansion, the construction of the space beneath the pond was the most important to them. It was done at a huge cost and selected carefully. A huge sum was even paid to keep the information about this a secret as this space was where the most important information of the Chan Clan really was. 

Chan Ching and the two-chambered glipher arrived at the space. Maybe because it was located underground, their footsteps were crystal-clear.

“Who is it?” They heard a voice when they were about to reach the end of the steps. 

“It’s me, Old Clan Leader.”

“Oh, it’s Siu Ching? Come in.” 

Hearing this, Chan Ching turned towards the glipher behind him and nodded. The both of them followed the stairs and arrived at a forging workshop.

There was everything to be found in the workshop. From a bed made of Ice Jade to a toilet and a dining table… It was both a workshop and a residence. 

Many years ago, after succeeding in forging a grade three gliph weapon, the Chan Clan Leader disappeared from the public eye after stepping down and handing over his position to Chan Tiet. There were rumours that he was already dead and rumours that he was in seclusion, continuing his research in forging. 

Chan Tiet glanced at the glipher behind him. The glipher understood his order and bowed towards Chan Ching. He then left after leaving the long box on the ground. 

“Greetings, Old Clan Leader.” After the glipher left, Chan Ching bowed slowly. A man was sitting crossed legged on the Ice Jade bed. Other than his snowy white hair, he had rosy cheeks that made him look young. The chilly air was unbearable, but he only wore a pair of light blue shorts and no top. He was so muscular that he looked just like a healthy young man. 

“Siu Ching, there’s no need for formalities. How is your father doing?” The bed emitted a cold aura, but it didn’t seem to affect the man.

“Thanks to the blessing from the Old Clan Leader, my father is still healthy and fine. He even got me to invite you to a chess game battle knowing that I would be visiting you today.” Chan Ching smiled thinly.  

“Alright! I’ll head over to your residence a few days later. Hahaha!” The man whom Chan Ching addressed as Old Clan Leader laughed heartily. Chan Ching smiled thinly in reply. 

His father was the previous housekeeper of the clan when the Old Clan Leader was still in-charge. When the older generation stepped down, Chan Ching took over the position of the current housekeeper to assist Chan Tiet, the current Clan Leader. When Chan Tiet stepped down, Chan Ching’s son would take over Chan Ching’s place to assist Chan Ngou Tin. 

This was how an aristocratic family tradition worked. 

“Alright, what brings you here today?” Old Clan Leader stood up and looked at the long box at Chan Ching’s feet. 

The Old Clan Leader was called Chan Lai Faat. Chan Lai Faat’s father was a commoner and born without the talent to cultivate; he only hoped that his son would be a scholar and lead a peaceful and comfortable life, naming him Lai Faat, which meant etiquette and discipline. He hoped that his son would be a well-mannered and law-abiding citizen. 

But who would have guessed that Chan Lai Faat would become a metalsmith respected by many? 

“Today, I’ve come to bother Old Clan Leader because of a grade two gliph weapon.” Chan Ching answered respectfully. “There’s a gliph weapon that I’d like Old Clan Leader to help examine.”