52: Chapter 52: Just as the Soul-Suppressing Iron was acquired, rapid hoofbeats approached.

There is an alley on the west side of Xiangyang.

During the day, it looks no different from an ordinary alley—bluestone paved road, back walls of residential houses on both sides, walls covered with moss.

Occasionally, a wild cat jumps over the wall.

Once it gets dark, the alley comes alive.

After dark, dozens of street stalls are set up in the alley; people selling medicine, weapons, and information.

As long as you can afford the price, you can buy anything.

When Yang Yuan walked into the alley, it was already completely dark.

An oil lamp hung at the entrance of the alley, its light dim and yellow, making people's faces half-bright and half-dark.

He slowed his pace and scanned the items on the stalls on both sides—mostly fakes, with a few genuine items, but the quality was average.

He walked around once.

No harvest.

Just as he was about to leave, a voice came from behind him.

"Young man."

Yang Yuan stopped.

"You have a piece of iron on you, right?" the voice said again, "Let me see it."

He turned around.

In the darkest corner of the alley entrance, a limping old man was squatting.

He was wearing a gray robe, with a piece of tattered cloth spread out in front of him, on which lay a pile of scrap metal—a broken bronze mirror, a rusty arrow, a chipped porcelain bowl.

No matter how you looked at it, he didn't look like someone who could bring out good things.

Yang Yuan still walked over.

He squatted down in front of the old man, said nothing, took the dark iron fragment out of his bosom, and placed it on the ground.

The old man looked down at the fragment, then raised his head and looked at Yang Yuan.

"This thing is a key."

Yang Yuan's heart tightened.

"The key to open that great tomb on Zhongnan Mountain." The old man pushed the fragment back, "Keep it well. Don't show it to others casually."

Yang Yuan put the fragment back into his bosom: "How did you see that?"

"I've been doing this for forty years. If I couldn't even see this, I could just gouge out these two eyeballs and step on them like bubbles."

The old man grinned, revealing a row of yellow teeth, "What are you looking for?"

"soul-suppressing iron."

"soul-suppressing iron?" The old man narrowed his eyes, "Do you want to set up an array?"

"Yes."

"There is a Blacksmith Zhang in the south of the city." The old man said, "He has it in his hands. But that guy has a strange temper, he might not be willing to sell it to you."

Yang Yuan stood up: "Thanks."

He turned to leave, but the old man called him again.

"Young man."

Yang Yuan turned his head.

"That Forbidden Ground on Zhongnan Mountain, no one who goes in comes out alive."

Yang Yuan nodded and turned away.

Blacksmith Zhang's shop was in the south of Xiangyang, near the city wall.

The shop was not big, and an iron plaque hung at the door, with the words "Zhang's Iron Shop" written on it, the characters already blurred by smoke.

The sound of hammering came from the shop.

Yang Yuan pushed the door open and went in.

A Black-faced Man was standing shirtless in front of a furnace, swinging a hammer to smash a piece of red-hot iron.

The hammer smashed down, and sparks flew everywhere.

"What are you forging?"

"Not forging, buying something."

Blacksmith Zhang stopped his hammer and looked up: "Buying what?"

"soul-suppressing iron."

Blacksmith Zhang put the hammer on the anvil: "Not for sale."

"I can pay a high price."

"Not for sale! That's something I kept for my own use."

Yang Yuan didn't say much. He took a Pulse-Opening Medicinal Pill out of his bosom and placed it on the counter.

Pulse-Opening Medicinal Pill. Given by Huang Yaoshi.

Blacksmith Zhang took a look at the Medicinal Pill, and his eyes changed.

He put down the hammer, walked over, stared at the Pulse-Opening Medicinal Pill for a long time, and then looked up at Yang Yuan:

"Where did you get this thing?"

"Peach Blossom Island."

Blacksmith Zhang was silent.

He picked up the Medicinal Pill and weighed it in his palm.

Then he turned and walked into the back room, rummaged for a while, and brought out a cloth bag.

He placed the cloth bag on the counter, untied it, and inside was a black iron block the size of a fist.

"Trade."

Yang Yuan picked up the soul-suppressing iron. It was heavy in his hand, and the touch was cold.

He put the soul-suppressing iron into his bosom and turned to leave.

Blacksmith Zhang called him: "You took the soul-suppressing iron, are you going to set up an array?"

"Yes."

"Then remember, the array eye must be buried three feet underground. If it's buried too shallowly, the Qi cannot be locked."

Yang Yuan cupped his hands: "Many thanks."

Back home, Yang Yuan placed the soul-suppressing iron in the middle of the courtyard.

A line of text popped up in his mind.

[Core Materials detected as acquired. Arrangement conditions: 75% met. Remaining needs: Arrange the array eye.]

He squatted down and touched the soul-suppressing iron with his hand.

A sharp pain came from his fingertips—like being pricked by a needle.

He retracted his hand and looked at the iron.

That Forbidden Ground on Zhongnan Mountain is a tough nut to crack.

He noted it in his heart.

He stood up, ready to return to the room.

Just as he reached the courtyard gate, a rapid sound of hoofbeats came from afar.

Someone was traveling at night.

Very urgent.

The sound of hoofbeats got closer and closer, coming in this direction.

Yang Yuan stood at the gate, his hand on the hilt of his blade, staring at the direction of the alley entrance.

The sound of hoofbeats stopped at the courtyard gate.

(Chapter 52 complete)