The clamor of the outside world had already faded from Li Mo’s awareness.
As the iron melted, he could hear the faint, intricate sounds it made. He could discern every vein within the metal, smell the mingled scents of steel and fire, and perceive every texture as if it were laid bare before him.
It was as though the various metals were no longer lifeless objects but living, breathing entities.
Indeed, after studying Du Wufeng’s techniques, his Divine Refinement Art had ascended to new heights.
He understood the spirits of a hundred weapons.
Initial mastery!
Ten strikes in a single breath!
Twenty strikes in a single breath!
Thirty strikes in a single breath!
The Eight-Nine Mysteries Technique silently circulated within him, bolstering his physique and allowing the strikes of his Divine Refinement Art to grow ever faster.The hammer in his hand became little more than a blur.
Yet, the materials he worked with were not ‘divine treasures.’ Some were mere common iron, while others were only slightly better—still born from the same crude origins.
Enduring such intense refinement was a struggle for them, but...
"Ice block!"
With a swing of his hammer, Li Mo sent the red-hot metal billet flying toward Ying Bing.
The bone-chilling cold of the Lunar Yin energy enveloped it, causing ripples to surge through the air.
Gasps of astonishment rose from the crowd.
Du Wufeng’s eyes widened. "He’s actually using this method... for quenching? How is this possible? How can it be done like this...?"
"Divine Craftsman Du, could you explain in detail?"
"Quenching is the process of rapidly cooling a heated weapon blank to enhance its quality."
"Typically, specially prepared cold spring water or treated oils are used. But this sword... he’s using the Frost Fairy herself!"
To be precise, it was the Lunar Yin energy of the Frost Fairy...
Clearly, the quenching effect of Lunar Yin energy was beyond imagination!
"Sister Ice, that’s enough."
Princess Little Jiang carefully monitored the quenching process and spoke up at the right moment.
"Tempering!"
As soon as the Lunar Yin energy dissipated, Li Mo snatched the billet and tossed it back into the furnace to reheat.
Once heated, he resumed high-intensity forging—twisting, folding, and blending the metal before quenching and tempering it again.
With each cycle of heating and cooling, the billet’s glow grew brighter, and its patterns became increasingly intricate.
"That boy... to think of such a method!"
Du Wufeng slammed his palm onto the table, nearly shattering it.
"......"
Among the competitors were many skilled master craftsmen, but now they all fell into deep contemplation.
They had honed their craft through relentless hammering and practice, yet they had never imagined forging could be done this way.
Was this proof that effort paled in comparison to talent?
Could he truly be a genius of weapon forging?
"This will surely be a fine sword..."
Jiang Chulong watched with earnest anticipation.
"Is this sword for Chulong... or for me?"
Ying Bing was lost in thought when she suddenly noticed the patterns emerging on the blade—resembling tenacious, ever-growing wild grass. She pursed her lips slightly.
Clearly, this was no imitation of Moonlit Yin, nor did it bear any resemblance to it.
Moonlit Yin emitted a resonance only its wielder could perceive.
Little Moon was puzzled:
"You already have me... why be so fixated on a mere named weapon?"
Ying Bing lowered her gaze, her expression unreadable as she continued quenching.
Before long, a sword adorned with wild grass patterns was born—simple in appearance yet concealing a hidden sharpness. To ensure a comfortable grip, Li Mo fashioned the hilt from peach wood.
Even in its infancy, the sword’s extraordinary nature was evident.
Li Mo wiped the blade clean and handed it to the eagerly waiting Princess Little Jiang.
[Congratulations, Host. You have successfully invested in ‘Jiang Chulong’—a top-grade named weapon.]
[You have pending investment returns to claim.]
"Take some time to familiarize yourself with it. Later, it’ll need to be presented to the judges."
"Mm!"
The excitement in Princess Little Jiang’s eyes couldn’t be hidden, even behind her sunglasses!
She could feel something within her resonating with the sword. The moment it touched her hand, it was as if their bloodlines were connected.
This was a named weapon forged from scrap metal—discarded materials others saw as worthless.
Even trash could shine anew...
Princess Little Jiang hugged the sword in a daze before reluctantly placing it on a cloth to be sent to the judges later.
"...Is that really a named weapon?"
Princess Yuyang stared at the sword for a long moment.
She noticed that the Crown Prince was also fixated on the sword—or rather, on Jiang Chulong, who had just picked it up—with an expression of disbelief.
"The Sword Bone... it should be with me... Impossible... Absolutely impossible..."
Princess Yuyang frowned. "Brother Crown Prince, what are you talking about?"
"Nothing."
Jiang Yu quickly suppressed his emotions, though a trace of pallor lingered on his face.
Among the many blacksmiths, Li Mo was the first to complete his work.
But before the host could approach for an interview—
After taking a few restorative pills, Li Mo picked up his hammer again, his eyes burning even brighter than before.
To the untrained eye, Li Mo seemed overly ambitious—attempting to forge swords for two people in a single competition. How touching.
The craftsmen, however, lamented the waste.
The forging competition had a time limit. With the same duration, pouring all his effort into one weapon would undoubtedly yield higher quality.
What was the point of two identical swords?
Moreover, with limited materials, the second might not even match the first.
"Ice block, Shared Moonlight!"
Suddenly, as Li Mo folded the billet over a thousand times, the Lunar Divine Intent behind him manifested.
Ying Bing froze.
She didn’t understand what Li Mo intended.
But before her doubts could settle, her own Lunar Soul also emerged.
Shared Moonlight merged their divine intents in an instant.
In that moment, Li Mo comprehended Moonlit Yin.
Ying Bing could see the nascent spirituality within the unformed blade—and...
A glimpse of his thoughts.
She stared at Li Mo—the figure wielding a glowing hammer amidst swirling flames—as he burned his way into her vision, stirring ripples in her usual cool detachment.
"I understand now..."
"Law of Heaven and Earth!"
Li Mo’s right arm suddenly swelled, making the Star Piercer hammer seem tiny in comparison.
The Karmic Flames around him surged, as though reigniting the already-burning Fallen Starfire.
Boom—
The mixed-metal billet rang with a resonant hum under his strike!
Sparks erupted like a volcanic explosion!
Fifty strikes in a single breath!
The hammer swung in an unbroken rhythm, growing redder with each strike. The Xuan weapon showed signs of melting—threatening to fuse with the sword embryo.
The rules of the forging competition were clear: only existing materials could be used.
The blacksmith’s hammer was one such material.
Yet no one had ever conceived of turning the forging hammer itself into part of the weapon being crafted.
Not even Ying Bing had considered it.
He intended to forge a famed weapon from the Xuan steel.
He would melt down the Star Piercer, the staff that had accompanied him day and night, and fuse it with her sword in the heart of the blazing fire.
So that each would dwell within the other.