Chapter 490
Du Shenjiang was unusually serious while forging weapons, completely shedding his usual nonchalance.
"Kid, the method you’re using for forging weapons also forges yourself, so with every strike, you have to squeeze every bit of yourself dry," Tian Shenjiang said loudly.
"One breath, a hundred strikes—it's a bit insufficient for me now."
With each swing of the hammer, he infused his insights into martial arts into the "Shenzhen Bailian" (Divine Treasure Refinement).
And in an invisible manner, he operated the Eight-Nine Profound Art.
Boom—
Buzz—
With a single strike, the reverberating thunder echoed, layer upon layer, lasting endlessly.
It ignited!
He seemed to see the mysterious trajectory of this strike, causing the weapon blank to undergo the most subtle transformation.
Whoosh—
The flames were blinding.
In Li Mo's eyes, there was no longer gold or iron, but rather the shimmering golden light of a great saint's projection rippling around him.
He was not in the sword furnace, but in a small world.
The same hammering sound echoed above the Yin-Yang dojo.
The tenth strike...
The fifteenth strike...
**Chapter 550: Imitation of the Celestial Sword**
Before the sword furnace, flames soared.
Du Shenjiang, Tian Shenjiang, and the other craftsmen around the furnace, their faces flushed red from the firelight, were filled with gravity and seriousness.
"The timing should be about right," Tian Shenjiang nodded slightly.
"Didn’t expect this kid to have such skills," Du Shenjiang swallowed hard.
From the master craftsmen to the apprentices, they were all at the pinnacle of the forging path, yet they stood there, serious and upright, some with astonishment on their faces, others with eager expressions, and some with solemnity.
Their gaze, however, was fixed on a young man, bare-chested, standing before the great cauldron, dancing with the flames.
The young man seemed to be engaged in something that tugged at everyone's heartstrings.
Suddenly, he began to stir the cauldron, the fierce flames rolling and rising.
Gasps erupted from the crowd, but the young man was full of confidence, facing so many esteemed craftsmen without a hint of fear, exuding a sense of assuredness as if everything was under his control!
Nan Gongmin passed by and was drawn in by the commotion.
"What’s going on here? Are they preparing for the Celestial City?"
After asking, he turned to Xie Yiding, only to find the master unexpectedly pulling a large bowl from his sleeve.
"Uh, Master, what do you need the bowl for?"
"To eat, of course."
Xie Yiding shot him a strange look.
Nan Gongmin: "?"
The little question marks on Nan Gongmin's head multiplied.
Xie Yiding cleared his throat, "A couple of days ago, Tian Shenjiang asked Li Mo how he managed to control the flames so exquisitely. So, Li Mo used the sword furnace's fire to cook a dish right there, demonstrating it for them."
"It was delicious."
"Forging weapons and... cooking?"
Nan Gongmin leaned back slightly.
What on earth is this?
"It actually makes some sense. After eating Li Mo's cooking yesterday, I felt he could forge a profound weapon soon. He should be attempting it today."
Nan Gongmin recognized every word Xie Yiding said, but when they were put together, it made no sense at all.
Could it be that he really had no understanding of the forging path?
In truth, Li Mo didn’t genuinely intend for the craftsmen at the sword furnace to undergo any culinary training.
He had learned a lot from everyone over the past few days, and this was his way of reciprocating, finding an excuse to take charge of the craftsmen's meals.
And perhaps snagging some investment returns.
[Investment Return: Yo-Yo Forging Blueprint]
[Investment Return: Profound Iron Elite]
[Bamboo Charcoal Powder from Baifeng]
...
"Ah, if I had known, I wouldn’t have taught you all my skills at once. I should have kept you here a bit longer."
Du Wufeng patted his belly, looking somewhat regretful.
"If you want to eat, Old Du, you can always come to me," Li Mo replied.
"This old man was just joking. I just didn’t expect you to attempt forging a profound weapon so soon," Tian Shenjiang said, slurping his noodles at the table.
"Come on, if you forge a profound weapon today, the path ahead is something no one can teach you; it’s for you to walk on your own!"
Du Wufeng slapped the sword furnace.
In an instant, a raging Fallen Star Flame ignited within the furnace.
Li Mo approached the familiar forging table, holding the Star Hammer Plus, his mind flashing back to every swing he had made over the past few days.
He intended not only to forge a divine weapon.
He also aimed to elevate the Eight-Nine Profound Art to new heights.
He began to repeat the actions he had performed countless times over the past days.
Tempering the iron material, repeatedly hammering, quenching.
"Is he planning to forge a sword this time?" Tian Shenjiang remarked, watching the gradually forming weapon blank.
"Tsk tsk tsk, this kid's ambition is even greater than I thought."
Du Wufeng suddenly laughed and said, "He really intends to forge a sword, and it’s an imitation of the Celestial Sword!"
"An imitation of the Celestial Sword?"
"If he succeeds, it should at least be a high-quality profound weapon, but how will he replicate the sword's essence?"
"Choosing such a difficult task for his first attempt at forging a profound weapon—who knows if he can succeed..."
Craftsmen who spent their days working with fire and iron were generally straightforward and honest.
Having received the title of the first of the Hidden Dragon and being treated to large meals by young Li, they undoubtedly had high hopes for him to succeed.
However, they also understood that Li Mo's choice to start with the Celestial Sword was deliberate.
After all, this sword could not remain in his hands for long; once the Celestial City opened in a few days, it would have to be returned. Miss this opportunity, and there might not be another.
Clang—
The Eight-Nine Profound Art operated, and the Shenzhen Bailian maintained the rhythm of one breath, a hundred strikes.
"Not enough..."
Li Mo felt the spirits of a hundred weapons with his heart.
As it stood, this imitation of the Celestial Sword could not bear the essence of those sword rhythms, and it would not have the potential for further reforging in the future.
Yet, he had reached the limits of his abilities in various aspects.
"Old Du, I need to borrow your Fallen Star Flame!"
Li Mo silently switched hammers, transforming it into the Hammer of Treasures.
The intense aura of weapon-killing sharpness and the essence of divine craftsmanship spread out.
"You..."
Du Wufeng fell silent for a moment.
The Fallen Star Flame had an elusive connection with the Pangu Cataclysm Hammer; when combined, they could produce an effect greater than the sum of their parts.
But this was not something a third realm practitioner could master; it was a technique of the heavenly craftsman.
If it were him, he wouldn’t take such a risk.
But looking at the vibrant, dragon-like energy of Li Mo, along with his blazing gaze, Du Wufeng nodded firmly.
"Alright, but be careful. I suffered greatly when I tamed this fire back in the day; it took me several years!"
With a flick of his fingers, a pure spark of fire drilled into Li Mo's body.
His skin quickly turned red, like a boiled lobster.
It hurt...
Li Mo felt intense stabbing pain throughout his limbs and veins, and it only grew stronger.
Even a powerful internal practitioner wouldn’t dare to let the Fallen Star Flame enter their dantian so recklessly.
But thanks to his water-fire immunity, Li Mo wouldn’t be burned to ashes.
However, this fire was not only high in temperature but also brewed a violent aura; if not released in time, it could burst him apart.
"Is this considered a trial by fire?"
He felt the speed of his progress in the Eight-Nine Profound Art significantly change.
Li Mo raised the Hammer of Treasures, and with the support of the star fire, the hammer truly ignited, smashing down onto the iron blank.
The silent longsword seemed to come alive.
The crisp sound of the sword echoed in waves, lasting endlessly.
Time passed, though he couldn’t tell how long.
Suddenly, an exceptionally clear sword cry rang out, piercing the azure sky.
"He’s going to make it!"
Du Wufeng and Tian Shenjiang both had intense light in their eyes.
**Chapter 551: Breakthrough of the Eight-Nine Profound Art**
Zheng—
The sword energy surged, ethereal and pure.
Du Wufeng's eyes sparkled with intense light as he saw the young man swinging the hammer, a sword resembling the Celestial Sword taking shape, trembling in response.
Why was it said to be similar? Because it lacked the nobility and the sense of order that the Celestial Sword possessed.
It appeared even more "ordinary."
"High-quality profound weapon."
Li Mo sat in place, not immediately expelling the Fallen Star Flame from his body.
His skin began to redden again, then returned to normal after a moment, cycling repeatedly.
The Shenzhen Bailian and the Eight-Nine Profound Art operated simultaneously within him.
A long wind surged.
With each cycle, as the red faded from Li Mo's skin, his original color grew closer to that of gold and jade.
The Shenzhen Bailian was a marvelous method that could enhance one’s physique during weapon forging, while the Eight-Nine Profound Art required enduring tribulations.
This Fallen Star Flame perfectly satisfied both conditions.
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