Chapter 411 - 243: Initiation

Chapter 411: Chapter 243: Initiation

"Have you ever considered that you might have misled Lord Su because you talk too much nonsense?" Zhang Zhongmei said snappishly.

"I misled him? I’m the most gifted Weapon Master in the Divine Weapon Pavilion, a contender for the next Pavilion Master!

In this world, no one can look down on my Weapon Casting Technique, and neither can you."

Huo Zhen Court bristled. "Er Mei, if you insult me again, I’ll challenge you to a duel!"

"Shall we make a bet?"

Zhang Zhongmei knew Huo Zhen Court all too well and paid his threat no mind.

"Bet on what?"

Huo Zhen Court huffed.

"Let’s bet on whether Lord Su can forge a Mortal Weapon."

Zhang Zhongmei said.

Forging a Mortal Weapon wasn’t difficult, but it was the foundation of weapon casting, and every Weapon Master started from this step.

Because Zhang Zhongmei wasn’t a Martial Artist, this was as far as he had gotten on his own. He later found an unconventional path, using external forces to gain the ability to forge Profound Weapons.

In theory, as long as one could smith iron, one could forge a Mortal Weapon. In reality, there was much more to it than that.

Just because it looked like a blade didn’t mean it was a proper one.

When Zhang Zhongmei mentioned a Mortal Weapon, he naturally meant a proper one—a weapon that was truly usable.

"If Lord Su succeeds, I win. If he fails, I lose,"

Zhang Zhongmei continued.

"Er Mei, are you just trying to hand me a win? Isn’t it obvious you’re doomed to lose?

I’m telling you, he’s been at it for a month and still can’t even forge a basic piece of iron properly."

Huo Zhen Court burst out laughing.

"So, are you in or not?"

Zhang Zhongmei said.

"Of course I’ll bet! Why wouldn’t I? What are the stakes?"

Huo Zhen Court said.

"If you win, I’ll grant you one favor—anything at all," Zhang Zhongmei said. "But if you lose, you’ll go to the Songjiang Prefecture Bailu Academy to serve as a Weapon Casting Instructor for three years."

"Anything at all?"

Huo Zhen Court’s eyes darted back and forth, a smile spreading across his face. He chuckled slyly, "It’s a bet!"

He never even considered the possibility of losing.

He knew exactly what Su Mu’s skill level was.

Over the past month, he had watched with his own eyes as Su Mu studied the Artifact Refining Technique.

’Just look at Su Mu’s technique for forging iron... He’s no different from a complete amateur.’

’If he can forge a proper Mortal Weapon, I’ll eat it!’

Huo Zhen Court’s gaze shifted to Su Mu under the canopy. Suddenly, his eyes froze.

’Something’s not right!’

’Something’s very wrong!’

The CLANG CLANG CLANG of hammering echoed in his ears, and Su Mu’s movements as he struck the iron were reflected in Huo Zhen Court’s pupils.

Those movements still seemed clumsy to him, like an apprentice who had just started learning weapon casting.

But he now discovered that, although Su Mu’s movements were clumsy, the hammer’s strikes, its rhythm—they had all subtly changed.

This tiny change was the difference between an amateur and a professional.

If Su Mu was an amateur before, now, he had stepped through the door!

Huo Zhen Court was an expert; he could see the change in Su Mu with a single glance.

He found it unbelievable.

"This is impossible."

Huo Zhen Court looked bewildered.

Over the past month, he had explained it to Su Mu time and time again, but the man just wouldn’t get it.

’Why did he suddenly get it the moment that guy, Er Mei, showed up?’

"No, that’s not it."

Huo Zhen Court shook his head repeatedly. "This technique... it’s not what I taught him.

What is this technique? Why have I never seen it before?

Er Mei, did you teach him this?"

He whipped his head around to look at Zhang Zhongmei.

He knew that because Zhang Zhongmei couldn’t cultivate the Martial Dao, he had always taken an unorthodox approach with his Artifact Refining Technique.

Zhang Zhongmei shook his head. "He figured it out himself. It has nothing to do with me."

’He really hadn’t taught Su Mu anything. He had merely helped translate the Heavenly Craft Refining Technique.’

In truth, Zhang Zhongmei was also filled with shock. Like Huo Zhen Court, he could see that the technique Su Mu was using was a very novel one.

It was a casting technique they had never seen before. Although it looked clumsy, they were both certain it was a proper casting technique—and it even seemed more efficient than the Artifact Refining Techniques they had mastered.

"Well, I’ll be damned. Did he actually come up with a new technique himself? Why does it look so damn impressive?"

Huo Zhen Court muttered, his face growing pensive.

As befitted a genius disciple of the Divine Weapon Pavilion, watching Su Mu’s technique caused all the methods for forging Mortal Weapons he knew to flash through his mind. In that instant, he, too, entered a state of epiphany.

He suddenly understood some of the problems that had long been holding him back.

Huo Zhen Court faintly felt his own mastery of weapon casting take a great leap forward.

Zhang Zhongmei felt the same.

The difference was, Zhang Zhongmei’s epiphany was related to the Heavenly Craft Refining Technique.

He now seemed to grasp some of the sentences that he had never been able to understand before.

Thrilled with excitement, Zhang Zhongmei’s face flushed red. He was itching to grab a hammer and test his theories. He was now almost certain: Su Mu had truly grasped something from the Heavenly Craft Refining Technique!

For a time, both of them forgot to speak. They stared intently at Su Mu’s every move, afraid of missing anything.

In the small courtyard, only the CLANG CLANG CLANG of hammering echoed continuously.

The scene was rather bizarre. Two Weapon Masters capable of forging Profound Weapons were staring like schoolchildren at someone who had never even forged a Mortal Weapon. Their gazes were reverent, as if they were on a pilgrimage.

To them, Su Mu’s clumsy movements held a profound, supreme truth.

When Shi Ziran walked into the small courtyard, he immediately saw this rather strange scene.

Although he didn’t understand, Shi Ziran was experienced in the ways of the Jianghu. He immediately retreated and called someone over to guard the gate, forbidding anyone from disturbing the three people in the courtyard.

The CLANG CLANG CLANG of forging continued for a whole day and night.

Su Mu and Huo Zhen Court were both True Essence Realm Martial Artists, so they could naturally endure it.

But Zhang Zhongmei, who was only an ordinary person, had sunk to the ground. Even so, he refused to leave.

Fortunately, Shi Ziran was thoughtful and discreetly sent over food and drinks.

Another day passed like this.

PSSSH!

A plume of white steam billowed up.

Su Mu plunged a newly forged long blade into the prepared quenching liquid, completing the final step of quenching.

A moment later, he lifted the long blade, wiped it clean with a piece of animal fur, and a smile finally broke across his face.

"It’s finally done."

Su Mu flicked the blade, smiling in satisfaction as he listened to its clear, ringing tone.

"Lord Su, may I have a look?"

Zhang Zhongmei had already scrambled up from the ground and rushed to Su Mu’s side, asking.

Su Mu casually tossed the blade to Zhang Zhongmei. "I was just about to ask you two to take a look for me. It’s my first time forging a Mortal Weapon, so I’m not sure if there are any flaws."

Huo Zhen Court also crowded in, looking like he wanted to press his face against the blade.

He and Zhang Zhongmei examined the long blade over and over again.

Anyone who didn’t know better would have thought it was a Divine Weapon.

After all, with the status of Huo Zhen Court and Zhang Zhongmei, who knew how many Profound Weapons they had seen? How could an ordinary Mortal Weapon possibly capture their attention?

But here they were, utterly captivated by a simple Mortal Weapon, unable to put it down.

"Let me try it."

Huo Zhen Court snatched the blade from Zhang Zhongmei’s hands and with a single, swift slash—SWISH—struck a nearby wooden post.

With a soft whisper of steel, the blade sliced through the wooden post without the slightest resistance, leaving a perfectly smooth and even cut.

He twirled the blade in a flourish, and a deflated expression finally appeared on his face.

"This... is indeed a top-grade Mortal Weapon," Huo Zhen Court said slowly. "Even my own work would be no better than this."

"Don’t flatter yourself," Zhang Zhongmei scoffed. "This is the most flawless Mortal Weapon I’ve ever seen. You’d be lucky to forge one this good even once in ten tries.

Huo Datou, you’ve lost."

Huo Zhen Court fell silent for a moment before sighing in resignation. "I lost. It’s just three years as an instructor. Fine, I’ll do it.

But you have to tell me, how in the world did you teach him? How did Su Mu suddenly have this breakthrough?"