"Only a moment has passed. My spirit is refreshed - this meditation session was so satisfying."
Young Miss stretched her body and examined her internal condition, discovering that her Mo family cultivation method had advanced considerably, which surprised her a bit.
Young Miss looked toward Xiaoyao, who at this moment was picking up the sword body, flicking it with his hand, and nodding with satisfaction before making a sound and announcing news that surprised Young Miss.
"Young Miss, it wasn't just a moment - today is already three days later. You've been meditating here for three days."
"What. Three days. Are you joking with me?" Young Miss didn't believe it. Your movements haven't changed at all - how could three days have passed?
But thinking again, Guxing was like this every day. Even if a month passed, there would be no change. As for Xiaoyao, he was polishing the sword body - naturally he'd be doing the same thing until completion.
"Who's joking with you? Look at your internal condition - isn't the change very great? Do you think such change could be completed in just a moment?" Xiaoyao replied calmly, then took out sword components from beside him - hilt, guard, scabbard, etc.
He was about to begin the final process - assembling the sword to completion.
This process was quite fast, requiring only a moment to complete, without particular difficulty - at least for Xiaoyao.
After hearing Xiaoyao's words, Young Miss also understood. The advancement of her true qi required certain time - three days was already quite little.
Young Miss stared blankly at Xiaoyao, watching him complete the sword assembly...
"I remember now. I felt something was strange - I should have had questions to ask. Your sword body and edge are separate." Young Miss suddenly remembered when Xiaoyao was hammering the sword, the sword body had turned red strangely, and Xiaoyao had only been hammering the edge, never the middle of the sword body.
This was either because Xiaoyao was a novice, or because this sword was very special. Looking at how the complete sword had formed, this was definitely top choice - even the sword in Nangong Suxin's hands might not be as good as this one.
"Young Miss is truly ice-smart. That's right, this sword is a composite sword. The sword body and edge were smelted and cast separately, using different materials." Xiaoyao said with a smile.
Young Miss looked at Xiaoyao, then said very strangely: "You can even make composite swords - it seems your sword forging technique is extraordinary. No way, you have to forge one for me too."
Composite swords were one type of sword forging technique, a very brilliant method that ordinary sword smiths couldn't make. In the Mo family, only Xiaoyao could make them.
In fact, Xiaoyao's composite sword wasn't an ordinary composite sword. Ordinary composite swords brought two materials to their ultimate potential, forming one complete sword.
But Xiaoyao's composite sword had another sword hidden within. Even without the outer layer, the inner sword would still be an independent sword, and if the inner sword emerged, it would shock the entire world.
Xiaoyao was also afraid the effect would be too shocking, and Guxing didn't have the strength to protect such a sword for now, so he simply hid it within.
Even so, the outer composite sword exceeded most swords and was a rare good sword.
This result was even better - for ordinary situations, the inner sword wouldn't be needed at all. The outer sword would suffice. When the inner sword was needed, the outer sword would shatter, naturally revealing the inner part.
Why would it shatter?
This wasn't complicated - the inner sword would only be needed when the outer sword couldn't withstand something. When the outer couldn't withstand it, naturally it would be destroyed.
"Good, I'll forge you one in a few days. Before departure, you'll have a sword, but you must not tell anyone I made it." Xiaoyao reminded. He didn't want people to know this - he was afraid others would all come looking for him to forge swords.
This wasn't about being low-key but avoiding trouble, because forging a good sword required a lot of time. He wouldn't mass-produce - only forge one by one. He absolutely wouldn't waste so much precious time for unrelated people.
"I want one with similar styling to this - very domineering." Young Miss pointed at the sword in Xiaoyao's hands. This sword's styling suited her taste perfectly, making her very envious.
"Of course, this is an Eight-Sided Han Sword. When unsheathed, it's four words - domineering aura exposed. However, when sheathed, it becomes plain and unremarkable. Concealing and revealing are all under control." Xiaoyao replied. "But when sheathed, it becomes what I said - plain and unremarkable, making people pay no attention to this sword at all."
As Xiaoyao spoke, he sheathed the sword body. It indeed became what he said - plain and unremarkable, making people pay no attention to this sword.
"I want it, I want it. Xiaoyao, I want it..." Young Miss's eyes lit up as she grabbed Xiaoyao's arm and shook it.
"Young Miss, please don't talk like that. I'm afraid I'll vomit up everything I ate this morning - no, yesterday." Xiaoyao frowned. For others acting cute, he found it normal, but for Young Miss, he often didn't treat her as a woman.
"Screw off. You don't know how many people have suffered from me like this - charmed a whole bunch to death." Young Miss pushed Xiaoyao away with one hand. Her words told people she had done this before, quite often, and succeeded every time.
"Boss, this sword is yours. Don't treasure it too much - feel free to hack people with it. This sword is almost invincible under heaven." Xiaoyao said very proudly. This sword was his satisfying work, worth his pride.
"Good, I understand." Guxing received the sword and nodded.
She did nod, but she probably wouldn't randomly hack around as Xiaoyao suggested. She would treasure it - this sword was forged by Xiaoyao for her. Although her previous swords were too, she carefully preserved every one, treasuring them greatly.
"Give me your current sword. I don't have a sword yet, and I'll need one when going out soon." Xiaoyao looked at the sword in Guxing's hands. This sword was also one he had spent considerable effort forging, with relatively high quality.
Previously he didn't need a sword because he only moved around the Mo family area without need. But afterward, he'd be going out - carrying one for self-defense would be good.
"You're going out?" Guxing and Young Miss asked simultaneously.
The two looked at each other, then said in unison: "Where to?"
"Of course with you all to Heavenly Wind Capital to participate in the Dragon Gate Tournament Heavenly Wind District finals." Xiaoyao replied irritably. Why even ask about this?
Guxing said nothing more and gave the sword in her hands to Xiaoyao. Xiaoyao casually tested its weight - this sword was slightly lighter, but the feel shouldn't differ too much. A few days of practice would suffice.
At the same time, this sword was also the same type - an Eight-Sided Han Sword. Xiaoyao seemed to recently only like forging such Eight-Sided Han Swords.
Actually, this was because Xiaoyao felt that Eight-Sided Han Swords were the pinnacle work in sword forging history - almost no other sword could surpass them.
"Oh, I thought..." Young Miss nodded. "Wait, you just said 'you all' - does that mean Seventh Sister is going too? That's not right - Seventh Sister didn't participate in the preliminaries."
"She did participate." Xiaoyao replied.
"No, the Mo family only has me, Third Brother, Mo Qiu, and Lin Yi." Young Miss said. The Mo Qiu she mentioned, Xiaoyao knew, was the Mo family's eldest young master, extremely talented, taught by masters since childhood. In the previous preliminaries, his reputation even overshadowed Nangong Suxin's.
"I don't belong to the Mo family. I'm participating individually. I want to enter Number One Under Heaven Academy." Guxing said calmly.
Among sects and academies, both Xiaoyao and Guxing chose academies because academies were relatively more free, while sects required following many rules. Though some ultimate martial techniques and cultivation methods were in sect hands, their choice was the same.
Academies generally collected various martial techniques and cultivation methods. When martial students reached certain strength, they could read materials of corresponding levels. Learning was very free.
Though sects could create peerless masters, freedom wasn't high. Learning required seniority and contributions to the sect. Also, what was learned generally followed one pattern, making it easy for people to identify which sect someone belonged to.
Academy schools were exactly the opposite. Academies only brought students through the door, then students could develop their own specialties. Under this model, many unconventional geniuses often emerged, no weaker than sect disciples.
There was also one point - the most important point - only a few people in sects could read ultimate manuals. Even entering, you couldn't see them. Why waste time on this?
"Enter Number One Under Heaven? This has some difficulty. That's Great Tang Empire's academy. Quotas for foreign enrollment are strictly limited - each Dragon Gate Tournament only recruits one hundred foreign students."
Young Miss frowned. She also wanted to enter Number One Under Heaven.
Yes, this academy was called Number One Under Heaven - truly living up to its name.
Great Tang Empire was the largest empire on the continent, without exception. Heavenly Wind Kingdom was at most a great kingdom, not even qualifying as an empire. The difference from Great Tang Empire wasn't just one or two levels.
"At least it's one hundred, not just one. I believe I can do it." Guxing said calmly.
"Though it's one hundred, this isn't easy. Not to mention the final tournament. There are hundreds of large and small countries on the continent. Before the final tournament, there are also East, South, West, and North district finals. How many can emerge from our Heavenly Wind Kingdom is questionable."
"Taking another step back, whether we ourselves can qualify from Heavenly Wind Kingdom is a problem. Though here we're top-tier families, entering Heavenly Wind Kingdom's scope, families stronger than us can't be counted on hands and feet combined. Let's solve Heavenly Wind Kingdom first."
(End of Chapter)