Chapter 112

Spiritual weapons differ from ordinary weapons in that they conduct true qi.

The function of Kun Tian stone is precisely to transmit energy.

This special ore is widely used in forging spiritual weapons and arranging arrays.

Of course, ordinary blacksmiths cannot handle Kun Tian stone.

To forge a spiritual weapon, you must seek a professional swordsmith.

Chen Mu possesses two captured spiritual weapons, both marked, making them inconvenient to use.

If reforged, using them again won't risk revealing their origin!

……

Kun Tian stone was stored in the palm space.

From the chest containing gold, silver, and jewels, he selected several fine pieces.

He left the rest untouched.

After descending Niutou Mountain, he found Zhu Zi hiding.

Still speaking from afar, he said, "The bandits on the mountain have been eliminated; much grain and supplies remain. Return to town and bring a group to haul them away."

Having finished, he turned and left.

"Huh?"

In the grass, Zhu Zi's eyes, wide open for too long and now sore, froze at the sound.

The next instant, he reacted, immediately kneeling toward the sky and crying out in gratitude, "Thank you, benefactor! Thank you, benefactor!"

All bandits eliminated!

Grain remains!

Winter is coming; this grain will ease the urgent plight of many households in town.

"Thank you, benefactor! Thank you, benefactor!"

Zhu Zi knelt on the ground, bowing his head repeatedly.

Chen Mu had already left.

Entering Shannan Road, there was no need to travel by night and hide by day.

Just remain vigilant and dress simply.

Based on the map purchased from "Hero's Pavilion," Chen Mu headed to the nearest county, ate and drank his fill, washed up, then inquired where to find a professional swordsmith.

After several inquiries and asking multiple people, he was told that the Bai Ren Shanzhuang in the neighboring prefecture had professional swordsmiths!

Chen Mu set out immediately.

Two days later, at dawn, he arrived at Bai Ren Shanzhuang!

……

Morning mist curled along the horizon.

The black iron gates of Bai Ren Shanzhuang gleamed cold and hard in the morning light.

Dressed in a blue robe, Chen Mu ascended the steps calmly, his aura unmoving like a mountain, causing the gate guards to instinctively hold their breath and step aside.

When they recovered, their faces flushed as they coughed and asked, "May I ask who you are?"

"Itinerant cultivator Nie Feng, here to pay respects to Lord Guan."

Chen Mu halted, clasped his fists, and said, "I've heard your villa's Master Han forges swords of extraordinary skill. I have two swords requiring reforging."

"So you are Young Master Nie."

The gate guard, upon hearing this, exhaled in relief and bowed respectfully, "Young Master Nie, please enter."

"Thank you for the trouble."

Chen Mu bowed, then followed the guard through the gate.

……

In the main hall of Bai Ren Shanzhuang, the heat of the furnaces mingled with the chill of metal.

Lord Guan Xingce sat upon the main seat, clad in fitted attire, his gaze sharp as freshly quenched blades, with faint primordial true qi swirling around him—he had clearly just broken through, his momentum still strong.

He studied the seemingly calm young man before him, inwardly alarmed—this man's aura was so deeply concealed that even he, a newly attained Primordial, felt a faint pressure.

"Young Master Nie wishes to reforged his weapon?" Lord Guan's voice boomed, making the torches in the hall flicker.

"Yes."

Chen Mu bowed, then spoke plainly, "I've long heard of Bai Ren Shanzhuang's peerless sword-forging art. I seek your villa's aid: use these two swords as base, Kun Tian stone as core, and forge a single spiritual sword."

As he spoke, he swept his sleeve, and two sheathed long swords floated gently onto the black iron table beside him, his motion effortless.

Simultaneously, two pale blue crystals, the size of pigeon eggs, glowing with starlight, appeared in his palm—the hall's light instantly brightened several degrees.

"Kun Tian stone!"

Lord Guan's eyes lit up, then scanned the two spiritual swords.

After a brief pause, he said, "Young Master Nie knows Kun Tian stone is a heavenly treasure, extremely difficult to melt and forge—only a master can do it. And these two swords…"

He paused again, "Their materials are extraordinary; melting and fusing them together is even harder."

"Precisely because it is difficult, I came to Bai Ren Shanzhuang," Chen Mu said calmly, with unwavering certainty. "Lord Guan, name your price."

Lord Guan extended three fingers. "Thirty thousand taels of silver."

Hearing this, Chen Mu smiled faintly and shook his head. "Lord Guan, that's unfair—I'm only having them reforged, and I've provided two Kun Tian stones; any additional loss is more than covered. Is this price really your final offer?"

"Hah."

Lord Guan wasn't offended; he laughed. "Prices are always negotiated. Let's call it a friendship discount—ten thousand taels of silver!"

"Agreed. But it must be completed within three days." Chen Mu nodded.

"Three days? That's…" Lord Guan frowned.

"The property of Kuntu Stone is that it only needs the earth's core flame to be drawn continuously for three quarter-hours to melt. The Manor Lord is an expert — the timing is just right." Chen Mu's tone was calm, yet he pinpointed the key point.

Guan Xingce took a deep breath. "Good! Then three days it is!"

……

Deep within the mountain manor, the earth-fire rumbled.

In the sword-forging chamber, waves of heat surged skyward. Beneath the enormous central furnace, the earth-fire churned like a crimson dragon.

A white-bearded, white-haired old man of lean, wiry build was swinging a hammer bare-chested, striking a glowing red sword blank. Every hammer-fall was incomparably precise, imbued with a strange rhythm, sending sparks flying in all directions.

He was the treasure of Hundred Blades Shanzhuang, the master sword-smith Han Song.

Led in by Guan Xingce, Chen Mu stepped forward and bowed respectfully to the old man. "Nie Feng greets Master Han."

His manner was humble and courteous — nothing like the flat indifference he had shown when facing Guan Xingce.

Han Song stopped his movements, his gaze sweeping indifferently over Chen Mu. He gave a grunt by way of returning the greeting, and his attention quickly fell upon the two swords and the Kuntu Stone.

"Bring the materials."

Chen Mu handed over the Kuntu Stone, but just as the two swords were about to be touched by Han Lao, his wrist flipped and he seized the sword hilts first, exerting a slight pressure.

"Clang!" "Clang!"

Two light hums rang out, and two entirely different sword-gleams flashed and vanished in an instant.

A light flashed in Han Song's eyes. His withered, thin hand instinctively rose, wanting to carefully run along the sword bodies and sense the spiritual resonance and forging traces within.

But Chen Mu's wrist moved again — swift as lightning — and with a "shwa," the twin swords simultaneously and with perfect precision slid back into their scabbards, their razor-sharp aura instantly sealed away.

"Han Lao."

Chen Mu's voice remained respectful, yet carried a thread of unquestionable firmness. "These two swords are not convenient to examine closely. You need only know that they are both lower-grade spirit weapons, sufficient to bear the power of the Kuntu Stone. To smelt them into one relies entirely on the Master's divine skill."

Han Song's hand froze in mid-air. His grizzled brows knit tight, and a flush of displeasure rose on his face. For a sword-smith as obsessed with the craft as he, encountering spirit weapons yet being unable to investigate them was nothing short of torment.

He stared at Chen Mu, displeasure and curiosity flashing in his eyes.

Guan Xingce's heart clenched at the side, afraid that Han Lao would erupt.

He had not forgotten — Chen Mu's cultivation was higher than his!

"Ahem~"

Guan Xingce coughed lightly twice and said with a smile, "Since Young Hero Nie has spoken thus, Han Lao, please light the furnace."

Han Song snorted, withdrew his hand, and said in a stiff tone, "Fine then. This old man only handles the forging! If the swords are ruined because this old man didn't understand their nature, don't blame this old man!"

Hearing this, Chen Mu bowed once more and gently set the twin swords and the Kuntu Stone down on a forging platform to one side. "Many thanks, Master Han."

Having spoken, he retreated a few steps and stood to one side.

"What — you mean to stand right here and watch?"