Chapter 95: The Sword
A single second of memory, [ ], wonderful reading without pop-ups!
Qin Mu’s hair finally stopped growing, reaching down to his waist. He took a ribbon and tied his hair up, his expression solemn as he stepped forward to the furnace.
Granny Si frowned and said, “Mute, you were able to refine Cold Iron Essence at the Embryonic Nourishment realm?”
The Mute nodded.
Granny Si spat in disgust, “Freak!”
Pharmacist, Blind, and the others also nodded in agreement, chorusing, “Freak! Mute, you really are a freak!”
The Mute beamed with pride, grinning from ear to ear.
Cold Iron Essence was far superior to Cold Iron Crystal; it was the essence extracted from Cold Iron Crystal. Cold Iron Crystal could still be melted by furnace fire to forge weapons, but the cold energy of Cold Iron Essence could directly extinguish the furnace flame, making it extremely difficult to refine!
The Mute tossed two pieces of Cold Iron Essence to Qin Mu, meaning for him to melt these two pieces, forge them into one, and then craft a weapon!
If Qin Mu could accomplish this step, he would have passed this test.
Qin Mu circulated his primal energy, transforming it into Vermilion Bird primal energy. Flames ignited in his palm as he reached into the furnace, then used his other hand to pump the bellows with a rhythmic *da-da* sound, trying to fan the flames and ignite the charcoal.
However, as his hand entered the furnace, he immediately felt an intense chill. Even the flames on his hand nearly went out, and his Vermilion Bird primal energy showed signs of freezing!
The Mute was smugly triumphant, gesturing frantically to Deaf. Deaf said, “You mean lighting the furnace fire is a test in itself, requiring skill? It involves the mysteries of forging, and brute force alone won’t light the fire?”
The Mute was all smiles when suddenly, with a *puff*, flames burst forth from the furnace. The charcoal was forcibly ignited by Qin Mu’s violent Vermilion Bird primal energy, suppressing the cold energy of the Cold Iron Essence.
Deaf looked at the Mute and said sympathetically, “Mute, if brute force can’t light the fire, it only means your cultivation at the Embryonic Nourishment realm isn’t up to par. The kid has enough brute force to light it; he doesn’t need skill.”
The Mute gestured resentfully, and Deaf chuckled, “Cunning. The charcoal fire can’t melt Cold Iron Essence—so you were holding back a trick there.”
Qin Mu lit the furnace fire and immediately surged his primal energy, pushing the flames to their peak. But the Cold Iron Essence remained unmelted, not even turning red-hot.
Qin Mu frowned. Suddenly, he plunged both hands into the furnace, grabbed the two pieces of Cold Iron, and activated the Tyrant Body Three Dan Art. His embryonic spirit went wild, and the primal energy around it became like a giant furnace, pushing the Vermilion Bird primal energy to its limit!
The Cold Iron Essence in his hands gradually turned red-hot, and before long, droplets of molten iron began to drip down.
Qin Mu let the molten iron drip into a trough. The two pieces of Cold Iron melted faster and faster, and soon, all the Cold Iron was liquefied, the molten iron merging together.
Deaf looked at the dumbfounded Mute and asked, “What exactly were you testing him on?”
The Mute slumped in defeat. His original intention was to test Qin Mu’s forging skills.
To refine Cold Iron Essence, one first needed to light the furnace, but the furnace fire’s temperature couldn’t melt the Cold Iron Essence. However, with sufficient cultivation, one could use Vermilion Bird primal energy to soften the Cold Iron Essence.
In his plan, Qin Mu would soften the two pieces of Cold Iron, then repeatedly hammer them to forge them together, eventually tempering them into a weapon. He never expected Qin Mu’s primal energy cultivation to be so monstrously robust that he directly melted the two pieces of Cold Iron with his primal energy!
His goal was to test skill, but Qin Mu overpowered skill with brute force, achieving the same result more simply, leaving the Mute speechless.
The clanging sound of forging iron rang out as Qin Mu swung the heavy hammer, sending sparks flying. Each strike was infused with his mighty primal energy, using Vermilion Bird primal energy to soften the metal and then Black Tortoise primal energy to cool it, repeatedly tempering and striking.
He hammered countless times, and gradually, a butcher knife took shape.
The Mute inspected it and nodded listlessly, signaling that Qin Mu had passed this test.
Qin Mu finished forging the butcher knife and tested its sharpness, quite satisfied. He now finally had a weapon he had crafted himself.
Blind laughed and said, “Mu’er, don’t test the knife just yet. You still have my test to pass. This time, you and I will compete in composing poetry.”
Qin Mu’s face turned pale, and he stammered, “Grandpa Blind, I definitely can’t beat you…”
Deaf pulled out his two iron ears with a *pop*, indicating he wouldn’t listen. Granny Si and the others also looked disgusted, saying in unison, “Blind, pick something else!”
Blind scratched his head, unable to refuse the group’s insistence, and said, “Then let’s compete in spear techniques. Condense energy into a spear!”
He tossed aside his bamboo staff, spread his five fingers, and his Black Tortoise primal energy turned into flowing water, forming a Water Dragon Spear in his hand.
Qin Mu’s primal energy erupted, and a Fire Dragon Spear appeared in his hand. The two began to move their feet, their long spears constantly trembling, like venomous dragons waiting to strike from the abyss.
They circled each other, their steps never stopping, but the Water Dragon Spear and Fire Dragon Spear never clashed.
Qin Mu activated his Divine Firmament Heavenly Eye, his gaze fixed on Blind, searching for an opening. But he found none; despite being blind, Blind revealed no flaw at all.
“No flaws? Then I’ll create one!”
They circled for a long time. Suddenly, Qin Mu stomped his foot, causing the ground to sink and form a large crater. The earth rippled like waves, making Blind unsteady on his feet.
*Whoosh!*
He thrust his Fire Dragon Spear forward, but Blind smiled faintly. His Water Dragon Spear struck later but arrived first, thrusting toward Qin Mu. Although Qin Mu had attacked first, Blind’s spear hit Qin Mu’s chest a step ahead!
Qin Mu grinned. A whirlpool formed at his chest, water splashing everywhere, blocking Blind’s strike. The Water Dragon Spear in Blind’s hand shattered instantly, and he was sent flying backward. Qin Mu’s spear lengthened, turning into a fire dragon that struck Blind’s chest.
Blind flipped and landed, staggering. He quickly unsealed his sealed divine aperture to steady himself and shouted angrily, “That’s cheating! Using two types of primal energy at once! In terms of skill, you’ve already lost. You’re just bullying me with your Tyrant Body primal energy!”
Qin Mu stammered, “Grandpa Blind, how about we do it again?”
Blind’s anger turned to joy, and he said, “Isn’t the Tyrant Body meant for bullying others? This is your strength. You’ve passed my test. Granny, it’s your turn.”
Granny Si looked at Qin Mu, who had just won, with a complex expression, and said, “Mu’er, in my heart, you’ve already passed my test. When you opened the three hundred and sixty rooms, you had already passed.”
Qin Mu was startled. “Granny?”
“What child never leaves home?”
Granny Si said softly, “When you grow up, you have to leave. I can’t keep you forever. These old fools have all let you pass. If I don’t, it would be too selfish…” She picked up her basket and went back into the house, closing the door behind her.
Qin Mu stood there in a daze.
The Village Chief coughed, snapping him back to reality, and said, “Mu’er, if you pass my test, you can leave the Village of Broken Elders, exit the Great Wasteland, and go out into the world to gain experience.”
Qin Mu turned around and said, “Village Chief, please instruct me.”
The Village Chief smiled faintly and said, “All of us old fools have taught you skills to survive in this world. Horse taught you strength and dignity, Butcher taught you courage and fearlessness, Deaf taught you art and grace, Cripple taught you escape and cunning, Blind taught you to see through appearances to the truth, Pharmacist taught you alchemy and healing, Granny taught you wisdom and kindness, and Mute taught you adaptability and composure. What I can teach you is a ruler, using conscience as the standard to measure right and wrong, good and evil. Raise your sword.”
Qin Mu drew the Shaobao Sword and held it before him. The blade facing him was split into two edges, one side reflecting Qin Mu’s face, the other also reflecting his face.
“A sword has four edges. The side facing you reflects your heart—one side is good, the other evil.”
The Village Chief said calmly, “The side facing your enemy reflects your enemy’s conscience—one side is good, the other evil. The sword is your ruler, used to measure good and evil, right and wrong. It measures you and your enemy alike. Sword techniques measure the good and evil of your opponent, and also measure you. I will now teach you the first form of my sword technique. Once you learn it, you will have passed my test and can leave the village to explore the outside world.”
Qin Mu’s heart raced with excitement. The Village Chief was finally going to teach him sword moves!
Horse, Blind, and the others were inwardly shaken and looked toward the Village Chief. Granny Si also pushed open the door and looked over.
The Village Chief was finally going to pass on his sword technique to Qin Mu. To others, this might seem trivial, but to them, it was a monumental event.
Pharmacist, in particular, knew the deeper meaning behind the Village Chief teaching Qin Mu his sword technique!
The Village Chief’s sword technique was not just a legacy; it carried even more responsibility!
Learning the Village Chief’s sword technique meant shouldering a responsibility that even the Village Chief had not fulfilled!
Pharmacist said softly, “Village Chief, do you think he can shoulder it?”
The Village Chief smiled and said, “Just because I can’t doesn’t mean he can’t. The Demon Sect Patriarch is old, with only seven years left to live. I’m old too, and I’ll die a few years later at most. It’s time to pass on the legacy.”
He perked up and said to Qin Mu, “My sword technique is called the Sword Diagram. The first form of the Sword Diagram is called ‘Sword Treads the Mountains and Rivers.’”