Previous Chapter Chapter List Next Chapter
Qi and blood revolved throughout his whole body.
His bones became iron, and his flesh became steel. The pores over his entire body all closed at once, not allowing his qi and blood to disperse. All of his qi and blood spread from his mind to the rest of his body. His limbs and bones seemed to be forged into a single piece, invulnerable.
After cycling the qi and blood several times.
Chen Mo slowly opened his eyes and let out a long exhale.
Nianyou was curled up sleeping against his chest like an adorable kitten. These past few days, the girl had already treated this as the warmest quilt. “Still haven’t blossomed the Essence Flower?” Zhongli Sanmei sat in front of the bed, crossing her snow-white legs. Seeing Chen Mo’s tense appearance, she knew that this breakthrough had failed yet again.
The truth was as she said. Chen Mo’s impressive Nine Turns was already accomplished, finally only a step away from Three Flowers Overhead, but this step was nevertheless like an entire mountain range. Even with formidable qi and blood, he had yet to begin reaching the new level of opening the Essence Flower.
“Looks like that girl was indeed more talented than you.” Zhongli Sanmei teased.
She was referring to Qing Wan, who spent only a few days of effort to enter Three Flowers Overhead from Qi And Blood Nine Turns.
“Three Flowers Overhead is a new Realm. Each new Realm isn’t something you can reach just by cultivating. Sometimes, a fluke comprehension is needed.” Chen Mo shook his head. Haste made waste. To be able to cultivate from Qi And Blood One Turns to Nine Turns was already very shocking. As far as he was aware, that daughter of Lord Jiang Nan1 renowned as Great Chong Dynasty’s number one genius, Jiang Yanyu,2 used two years to reach this stage.
Chen Mo stroked Nianyou’s black hair and said: “The time has almost come. I’m going to the Great Tool Court to see the casting masters’ banquet. Help look after Nianyou for me.”
“She’s very scared of me.” Zhongli Sanmei giggled.
“I should think that King Of Extinguished Ashes Zhongli Mo wouldn’t bully a small girl, right?” Chen Mo smiled back.
Zhongli Sanmei snorted. She naturally would never fall to this level, however, should she be in a bad mood, then do not blame her for being ruthless.
After cleaning up, Chen Mo changed into a costume and disguise before finally leaving.
Great Tool Court.3
Little Jade City’s biggest spirit stone materials shop. In the Great Chong Dynasty, it was very famous. Because it was connected to the Western Regions, it was very frequent to be able to see spirit ores native to the Western Regions. Many Star Cultivators would come to the Great Tool Court in search of materials when they were casting a star.
The Great Tool Court operated under the Sword Casting Villa. Although the Sword Casting Villa was not a sect, because of its unique nature, it possessed influence that was in no way inferior to the Wanshou Temple. Many warriors would come to this famous place for the sake of forging a weapon.
Chen Mo stood at the entrance, carefully observing. Within a short span of time, warriors at Qi And Blood Eight and Nine Turns entered and exited one after another. There were also many Three Flowers Overhead level warriors.
Chen Mo entered the room. The inside was spacious, a hall of about four to five hundred square meters. The walls were hung full of every kind of wretched killing weapon. On the sales desk were countless weapon billets, blueprints, and more.
The Great Tool Court’s first floor was weapon sales.
The second floor had many sales counters piled up with fantastical and multicolored ores and sands. These spirit stones came from all parts of the Outer Star Fields, from the Great Chong Dynasty’s territory to the domain of the Northern Barbarians. However, these ores were all of the lowest grade. Stones like Northern Dipper’s Seven Astral Stones were nowhere to be found.
The Great Tool Court’s third floor was an area similar to a restaurant. Chen Mo took out an invitation card and found a private booth.
Upon entering the hall, he saw more than thirty men currently engaged in whispered discussion. When Chen Mo walked in, he suddenly drew the gazes of everyone. The majority of people wrinkled their brows, blowing soft snorts from their noses, appearing a bit displeased.
Chen Mo knew that from his current appearance, he was honestly too young. To appear in an arena composed practically of middle-aged men was indeed somewhat odd. However, casting masters spoke using ability. Chen Mo did not care for their views at all.
He found himself a seat and sat down. Two uncles next to him were quick to meticulously draw a distance away from him, as if their conversation would be overheard by him. Chen Mo more or less sized them all up. The majority of these casting masters were of very low cultivation, yet they were significantly older. From the degree of tautness in their muscles, he could see their experience and skill level. Thinking of this, Chen Mo looked at his own arms. Although they were somewhat strong, they were absolutely nowhere near as thick as these people’s. He was completely unlike an experienced casting smith. No wonder some people were unhappy.
“Greetings, little brother, have you come alone?”
As he was thinking, a voice suddenly came into his ear. Chen Mo turned his head around. A big-bellied fat man beamed at him from ear to ear. His smile was like a Maitreya, quite amicable. “Call me Second Fatty. Brother’s name is?”
“Shi Jin.” Chen Mo gave an alias.
Second Fatty nodded, sitting beside him, “Are you a casting master?” Chen Mo shot him a suspicious glance. The impression he had of casting masters were those burly types. Someone like Second Fatty, who was a heap of flab, was actually quite rare.
“My father is, however, he is unable to come. I am attending on his behalf.” The fat man chuckled. “I can see that you aren’t like a casting master either, Little Brother. Are you here on your father’s behalf, too?”
“It hasn’t been long since I became a casting master.”
“I couldn’t tell.” In this banquet that was full of old mean only able to forge weapons, the fat man was already depressed to death. To suddenly see someone of similar age, he was immediately elated.
Chen Mo then surreptitiously gathered some information as he listened to the casting masters in passing, but he did not obtain too much intelligence. The fat man apparently was bored of the casting masters. On the other hand, he was especially interested in Star Maidens, talking non-stop about the history of Star Maidens. This made Chen Mo very helpless.
A while later, the hall gradually filled with people. Very quickly, there were about seventy to eighty casting masters. They were all practically men, with very few women to be seen.
Immediately, an elderly man dressed in a black robe walked out.
The hall promptly stopped their discussions and fell utterly silent.
The old man’s clothes were embroidered with a mixed pattern of Yin Yang and swords. This was the insignia of the Sword Casting Villa. “The banquet is about to begin. At this time, we shall treat our colleagues that have not arrived yet to have abstained from this social gathering.” The old man’s gaze swept over everyone, his voice quiet but powerful.
Everyone nodded together. They were already tired of waiting.
“Elder Ding, I see that someone has stumbled into this social gathering. It would be best to usher him out to avoid being an eyesore.” A tapered voice suddenly called out. The one who spoke was a man with a fierce-looking face covered in countless scars. He appeared very dreadful.
His words were clearly referring to Chen Mo. Everyone turned their gazes to stare at him simultaneously.
In this banquet of middle-aged men, Chen Mo’s tiny stick-like figure was somewhat incongruous.4
“Maybe he’s a thief from somewhere.”
“Ha, ha, young people these days aim too high.”
Jeering laughs snickered in succession.
They saw from Chen Mo’s appearance that he was too young, perhaps no more than eighteen. What level could he reach in the domain of sword casting at such an age. Even if he was Qi And Blood Nine Turns, it was not so easy to increase a casting master’s level.
Elder Ding was also slightly suspicious, but the old man had already forged a steady mind from years of crafting weapons.
“This banquet will still be the same as in the past. Only those with the qualifications will be valued as guests. We casting masters treat everyone equally, judging based on ability.”
Waving his hand, a warrior then brought over a sealed up steel box. There was a pitch-black hole on its top.
The testing method was very simple. Inside the box were several dozen balls that the Sword Casting Villa had crafted with the utmost care and using special materials. All casting masters would take turns stepping forward and feeling one of the stone balls. They were required to accurately state the materials used to refine it. For experienced casting masters, this was not difficult at all.
However, this time was far from being so easy. Elder Ding’s wrist flipped. Three black balls appeared out of thin air in his palm. To be able to baselessly control an object, he surprisingly had reached a level where his Divine Intent was substantive, the level where Three Flowers Overhead was complete.
Fuck.
The Sword Casting Villa’s reputation is well-earned indeed. This old man has such a high Realm.
Chen Mo said to himself.
When the three black spheres appeared, everyone who had previously been flippant were immediately ashen.
Chen Mo wrinkled his brow.
“These are Underworld Yu Balls.5 If a normal person touches these, they will ruin their meridians. Now, This Old Man shall place them into the box. If anyone pulls one of these out, that will be considered bad luck.” Elder Ding’s expression did not change as he dropped the three black balls into the box.
Everyone’s expressions changed.
“Elder Ding, what is the meaning of this?”
“This is just an information exchange, but you want our lives.”
“This information exchange will not be like in the past because the Sword Casting Villa has enormous information to inform our colleagues. But only those casting masters with daring, attentiveness, and true talent will have the qualifications to receive this information.” Elder Ding said gently.
“What information would actually necessitate using qi of the Underworld Yu?” Some people asked in fear.
“Some matters pertaining to the strongest casting master Star General in Star World.” The old man slightly grinned.
The strongest casting master in Star World?
Everyone’s eyes widened as they suppressed the excitement in their hearts.
“Swordsmith Of Gods And Demons Ou Yezi!!”6
Discuss The Latest Chapter Here!
Previous Chapter Chapter List Next Chapter
I have to agree with the Casting Masters. “Here we have some hot gossip, but because of it, we’re going to ruin 1d4-1 people’s livelihood by crippling them.”
It’s not like they could get a Star Maiden, even more so a legendary one, to give them the time of day, so why risk one’s skills and indeed one’s health? I would have walked.
Then again, people in Chinese novels frequently act like sociopaths on scant provocation, so there you go.
Well, apparently, the information is so confidential, only those with the necessary skill are allowed to hear it. But to lock it behind a contest that anyone can take part in is…poorly thought out.
However, stick around the next couple of chapters to figure out why this test was conducted.