Hang on… This handwriting resembles Second’s. I thought he was supposed to be searching for Night Net manual and Jin Wangsun’s whereabouts. How does he have time to let his boys out? There’s no doubt this rat and handwriting are exclusive to him, though. If he’s here… did he come with Beggars Sect? Nah, that can’t be right. This is blood, and the handwriting tells me he’s hurt. This is a distress call. If Second sent this fellow out to call for help, he must’ve supplied more secret signs. There are too many people to study this fellow for now. Hide in my shirt for now, Wugufengdeng.
“What are you doing?”
I jolted the moment Long Zaitian put his face in mine, resulting in Wugufengdeng sneaking out from my shirt.
“You son of a Wugufendeng!”
Long Zaitian’s eyes closed and open as if they suffered a spasm: “Your insults have transcended into a realm that not even I can understand now. Why does your insult sound like a New Year greeting?”
I clicked my tongue in frustration: “What do you want?”
“Master told you to go see him at night so that he could fill you in on what Luo Ming said since you were missing for half of the discussion.”
“You came here to tell me something so trivial?!”
“Master’s orders are trivial now?”
I’d sidekick you out of the building right now if I wasn’t busy trying to trace Wugufengdeng’s footsteps.
“Fine, fine, got it.”
“Father, I have brought the sword you requested.” Luo Siming passed Luo Ming a sword with a gold blade one metre long.
Luo Ming took the sword off his son and reflected the hall off it: “This sword is called Cyan Water, our clan’s best product this year. Almost half of the sword that took seventeen is forged from cold iron and fine iron that took seventeen months to complete. While this one did sequester for a decade, Luo Sword Manor’s smithing standard has continued to advance year after year. Luo Sword Manor’s sword today has already exceeded yesterday’s standard and is the highest it has ever been.”
Luo Ming slammed his right hand into the centre of Cyan Water, the qi flowing from his finger sending the guests closest to him back several metres. Boss and I also retreated a few steps before he snapped Cyan Water. Boss even pulled me back and warned, “Careful. He’s utilising a power swordplay with his finger. Watch out not to let his qi damage your meridians.”
“This one only used fourty percent of his full power.” Luo Ming held up the snapped sword for all to see. “Please do not misinterpret it as this one being equipped with unspeakable skills. The sword is also truly our best product this year. This one merely knew the location of the sword nerve. A sword core is what maintains the attributes of a sword, while the sword nerve is the killing essence of a sword. To break its core and nerve is to break the sword.
“Just like the saying, ‘Man among men,’ there are cores among cores and nerves among nerves. The two components are compulsory – in addition to the materials of the sword. It is not difficult for a blacksmith to locate either component. Going back to the first point, there are cores and nerves that are not easy to damage. In fact, they should be the most robust parts of the sword. A truly exceptional blade is one where its sword core and sword nerve can harm the target. That is what is called a divine weapon.
“Perhaps you do not quite follow. If we include the Seven Dynasty-Founding Blades, there are no more than twenty-one weapons in existence that should be categorised as divine weapons. This one wishes to forge the twenty-second divine weapon.”
Not all swordsmen understand what their sword is or how they are forged just as not everyone questions the origins of their eating utensils that they eat with daily.
As they begun to start going mouth to ear, Luo Ming continued, “The sword nerve this one seeks is already on you. The sword core this one desires must go through a tempering process. Be it the sword core or sword nerve, combat is the only method to temper them into the essential standard. Fighting with your weapons nourishes the sword nerve. This is the same process involved in the production of every divine weapon.”
Luo Ming swept his unnerving gaze across the hall: “This one already mentioned a fighting competition as part of Refining Divine Convention. Owing to your skills and numbers, however, it would take ages to get through everyone in a tournament fashion. Such a slow procedure serves no purpose, either. As such, this one is limiting those who are qualified to compete in the ring to the eight great sects or individuals. Who those specific competitors will be shall be decided based on your performances in the coming three days.”
“What are the specifics of the three coming days?” Emperor Yuansheng inquired, showing no signs of backing down when his old friend focused his gaze over.
“This one will be escorting you to Taihu Sword Island’s abandoned island to compete with each other. The eight sects that emerge as the victors will be the eight sects this one invites to the arena.”
Glossary
Wugufengdeng – It’s a phrase often used to wish people a good harvest.
Cyan Water – While the character used for “cyan” can be argued to be translated as green, the author confirmed it is meant to be cyan here.