Master of Ten Thousand Foxes-Chapter 124 - 94: The Broken Bronze Sword
The sky was overcast, and the wind howled.
Early in the morning, the Fox Mountain warehouse was bustling.
At the entrance of the warehouse, fiery red foxes carried huge parcels and bundles of various herbs out. They were incredibly strong, able to carry herbs weighing dozens of times their own weight.
Today was the second day of herb preprocessing, where certain herbs that needed cutting, slicing, or dicing were to be dealt with.
Inside the warehouse, in the equipment storage corner. A group of apprentice foxes was searching for handy tools.
"Ying ying ying."
Quanquan Hu needed to chop "Waxwood Tree Root," so he chose a Bronze Axe.
"Ying ying ying."
Big Head needed to chop "Green Grass with Belt Fish," so he chose a Cleaver.
"Ying ying ying."
Black Star needed to slice "Round Tube Softwood," so he chose a Bronze Sword.
"Ow?"
When it came to White Claw, he also needed to slice Round Tube Softwood. But... his sword had already been discarded. He didn’t want to use a sword anymore.
He glanced at the corner of the warehouse, where bundles of Bronze Swords lay—various lengths, some long, some short, some wide, some narrow. He didn’t want to use any of them.
He furrowed his brows and told himself that the work had to be completed! One must not let personal feelings get in the way of work!
How about simply choosing a defective one?
He looked towards the corner where a pile of defective swords was heaped like a small mountain.
There he saw broken swords, cracked swords, corroded swords, chipped swords... White Claw moved closer and drew out a Broken Sword from the pile, of acceptable length but with numerous holes corroded into the blade.
Can this cut Round Tube Softwood?
He instinctively swung it lightly. Suddenly, he felt something wasn’t right... Why did swinging this Broken Sword feel more comfortable compared to the whole Bronze Sword before?
Hmm?
He furrowed his brows, cocked his head, and looked at the Broken Sword, as if he’d discovered something...
"Ying ying ying," but behind him, his fellow disciples were already shouting for him to hurry up.
White Claw quickly put down the sword and then drew out another Broken Sword from the pile, turning to leave with his fellow disciples. This new Broken Sword had a perfectly intact blade that could cut Round Tube Softwood. However, the sword body had long since corroded, leaving a long hole.
It looked quite shabby!
But as White Claw left the warehouse, casually swinging the sword, he surprisingly found it handy?
Swinging it back and forth, he experienced an unprecedented feeling of control, as if the sword was an extension of his own arm!
...
In the workroom, various materials were laid out, and the apprentice foxes were wildly cutting and dicing!
Bam! Bam! Bam!
The sound of an axe splitting Waxwood Tree Root.
Pa! Pa! Pa!
The sound of a cleaver chopping Green Grass with Belt Fish.
Swish! Swish! Swish!
The sound of a long sword slicing through Round Tube Softwood... White Claw swung the sword, growing more and more comfortable with the Broken Sword. The mentor had said to slice the Round Tube Softwood into pieces as wide as a fox’s toe. He noticed besides him that Black Star’s slices were sometimes slightly thicker, sometimes slightly thinner. All acceptable.
But White Claw, swinging the Broken Sword, found that each slice of Round Tube Softwood he cut was exactly the same width!
Swish!
Another slice fell.
White Claw could feel the resistance the softwood gave the blade, felt the sword move through the softwood, and it was as if the sword had become one with his forepaw. As if he wasn’t wielding a sword, but his own claw!
"Ow?"
He was slightly confused, wide-eyed and open-mouthed, not knowing why this was. Did he really have a talent?
But he couldn’t concern himself with that now; he had to finish slicing all the Round Tube Softwood today.
He furrowed his brow, fully focused, as the Broken Sword in his hand rose and fell, wildly slicing through the softwood!
...
In the workroom, Bai Mo wandered around checking on things.
"Be careful, this wood differs from ordinary wood; it splinters when chopped."
...
"Put on an apron, no dangerous operations allowed."
...
"Look at this, you’ve hit the juice veins inside; the juice will leak out, affecting the potency of the herbs.
"Don’t be upset; we can use what you chopped to see how the juice veins grow. That way, you can avoid them next time."
...
"Be careful when cutting the Fish Scale Fruit, and don’t slice through the seed inside."
Bai Mo squatted next to White Ears, picked up a knife, and cut open a Fish Scale Fruit to demonstrate.
"After cutting it open, scoop out the seed and keep the flesh.
"Save the flesh, let it dry for alchemy.
"The seed has no medicinal properties; scoop it out, send it to the kitchen, and cook it as a snack for everyone!"
Snacks?
White Ears’ eyes lit up as he looked at the seed Bai Mo had just scooped out, grinning widely.
The other apprentice foxes nearby perked up their ears, looked at the seed, and likewise grinned widely.
Not far away, White Claw cut down with his sword and then lifted it, looking at the seed in his mentor’s hand... Snacks? Does that mean it’s time to gamble on swords again?
He looked at the worn-out Copper Sword in his paw, starting to feel conflicted. He felt he could give it a try but was afraid of failing again.
...
The day’s work finished, and night fell on Fox Mountain.
In the dormitory hall, which was pitch black, Bai Mo sat by the bed, his cheeks illuminated by the glow of the tablet, still studying the herbal recipes.
The surrounding apprentice foxes formed circles, "Ow ow" they shouted, playing their games.
The largest circle was once again for gambling over swords.
Each fox held a Bronze Sword high in their right paw and today’s snack of Fish Scale Fruit seed in their left paw.
"Ow ow ow!"
"Ying ying ying!"
Suddenly, the foxes saw another figure join the circle. It was White Claw!
This fellow clutched a rusty, hollow Bronze Sword in his right paw, while in his left he held a sack, swinging it with determination, boldly stepping forward!
