Chapter 341 - 161: Reforging Zheng Xian

The next morning.

Liang Cheng left his private courtyard and flew through the air, heading straight for the Artifact Refining Hall.

The Artifact Refining Hall was situated on the western side of the Main Peak, occupying an entire mountaintop. From a great distance, one could hear the CLANG CLANG CLANG of forging, and the air was thick with a scorching heat.

At the mountain gate, two Guardian Disciples saw someone approaching and were about to step forward to inquire when they got a clear look at the person’s face and froze.

"Senior Brother Liang?"

Liang Cheng nodded. "I wish to have a saber forged. Please inform the Hall Master."

The disciple hurriedly bowed and replied, "Senior Brother Liang, please wait a moment. I’ll go get the Hall Master right away!"

A moment later, a booming laugh echoed from within the hall.

"Hahaha! The esteemed arrival of the First Peak’s Direct Disciple Liang has brought great honor to my Artifact Refining Hall!"

A bare-chested old man strode out. He was built like a bear, with bulging, knotted muscles on his arms, and his entire body radiated a scorching heat.

A Core Formation Late Stage expert.

"I am Tie Wushuang, Hall Master of the Artifact Refining Hall."

The old man clasped his fist in greeting, his expression friendly. "Is Direct Disciple Liang here to forge a Weapon?"

Liang Cheng quickly returned the gesture. "Hall Master Tie is too kind. This disciple wishes to have a Weapon reforged."

As he spoke, he took two pieces of Star Meteorite Iron from his Storage Pouch.

One was the size of a fist, a gift from his master, Lie Mountain.

The other, of the same size, was compensation from the Seventh Peak.

Then, he took out the Zhenxian Saber from his waist.

"This disciple wishes to meld these two pieces of iron and reforge my Lifebound Long Saber."

Tie Wushuang’s eyes lit up. He took the Star Meteorite Iron and examined it closely, clucking his tongue in amazement.

"Fine iron! Excellent iron! It’s hard enough to find even one piece of Star Meteorite Iron of this quality, yet you have two!"

He looked up at Liang Cheng, his gaze burning with intensity.

"Rest assured, Direct Disciple Liang, I will forge this saber for you personally!"

"However—"

He paused.

"Star Meteorite Iron is extremely difficult to smelt. It must be tempered with Earth Core Fire for seven days and seven nights to remove all impurities and fuse it together."

"Come back in seven days. At that time, you will awaken its spirit with your Blade Intent and Essence Blood. Only then might it become a Lifebound Treasure Saber."

Liang Cheng clasped his fist. "I’ll be troubling you, Hall Master."

Tie Wushuang waved his hand. "Liang Zhenchuan, since you’ve already condensed Blade Intent, you might as well imprint your Blade Intent into it and prepare your Essence Blood in advance."

Having borrowed and read countless Hidden Classics from the Scripture Pavilion, Liang Cheng naturally understood Tie Wushuang’s meaning and did as he was told.

After all this was done, Tie Wushuang had a young-looking disciple by his side escort Liang Cheng out.

Liang Cheng left the Zhenxian Saber behind. On the way out, the young man suddenly lowered his voice.

"Direct Disciple Liang, I heard that yesterday at the Seventh Peak, you forced Gu Changge to admit his guilt with a single punch, and then drove back Song Que of the Second Peak with two more?"

Liang Cheng didn’t deny it.

The young man couldn’t help but grin and give him a thumbs-up.

"Awesome! We in the Artifact Refining Hall have disliked that Gu Changge for a long time. He relies on his powerful older brother to stir up trouble everywhere. That was a great punch, Direct Disciple Liang!"

He thumped his chest, full of heroic spirit.

"This saber—my master will definitely forge it beautifully for you!"

Liang Cheng thanked him again. After talking for a moment, he learned the other’s name.

Mo Yan, Tie Wushuang’s final disciple in the Artifact Refining Hall, seemed to have some friction with Gu Changge.

Liang Cheng bid him farewell and turned to leave.

From behind him, Mo Yan’s voice drifted from afar.

"Direct Disciple Liang, remember to come back for your saber in seven days!"

...

After leaving the Artifact Refining Hall, Liang Cheng didn’t return to his private courtyard. Instead, he went straight to the Scripture Pavilion.

This time, he didn’t linger on the first floor but went straight up to the Fourth Layer. Gu Changge’s five years of compensation had given him a considerable number of points for free.

The screen of light was still there. He embedded his Disciple Token, and a stream of information flowed into his Sea of Consciousness.

"Direct Disciple Liang Cheng, eight thousand points."

Eight Thousand Points.

After deducting two thousand points, he smoothly entered the Scripture Pavilion’s Fourth Layer.

What was stored here were not profound Cultivation Techniques, but the Cultivation Notes and Experience and Insights of past sages.

He swept the area with his Divine Sense and quickly found the Jade Slip he was looking for.

Liang Cheng sat down cross-legged and began to study it in detail.

"Martial Dao True Intent is not obtained through practice, but through enlightenment."

"The fist has Fist Intent, the saber has Blade Intent, the sword has Sword Intent. Yet all paths lead to one, and all are tied to the heart."

"Where the heart aims, the intent arrives."

"The practitioner of the fist uses strength to break technique; their intent is to press forward relentlessly."

"The practitioner of the saber swings wide and open; their intent is to cut down everything."

"The Swordsman is light and swift; their intent is to pierce through illusion."

"However, these are all superficial manifestations."

"The root of True Intent lies in—"

"Only when one’s skill approaches the Dao can one condense Martial Dao True Intent."

Reading this, Liang Cheng was profoundly shaken.

’No wonder Battle Skill Perfection is so highly valued before Breaking Mortality and Forming Core. So it turns out that only with Battle Skill Perfection can one enter the Dao and condense Martial Dao True Intent.’

He continued to read.

"What is Fist Intent? Not the pinnacle of a Fist Technique, but the manifestation of the Dao Heart."

"With a firm Dao Heart, the fist is like a mountain."

"With an angry Dao Heart, the fist is like a raging fire."

"With a fearless Dao Heart, the fist can shatter the heavens."

"Therefore, those who cultivate Martial Dao True Intent must first cultivate their heart."

"If the heart is unsettled, the intent will be impure."

"If the heart is not firm, the intent will not be strong."

Liang Cheng closed his eyes, silent for a long time.

The records on the Jade Slip were a revelation.

He recalled the process of comprehending Fist Intent: in the desperate struggle against the Evil Thought’s possession, in the moment the Divine Soul Liquid erupted, in the instant of the Ten Thousand Dragons Devouring the Soul.

At that moment, his mind was free of all distractions, with only a single thought: survive.

That, then, was his "Dao Heart" at the time.

And that Dao Heart had devoured all of Crossing Sea Master’s insights to forge his Fist Intent.

Liang Cheng opened his eyes and continued reading.

"Martial Dao True Intent is divided into three realms."

"Initial Glimpse: the intent moves with the heart, increasing combat power by thirty to fifty percent. This is called ’Intentional Movement’."

"Entering the Hall and the Room: the heart is the intent, and the intent is the heart. Every move contains True Intent. This is called ’Thoughts Follow the Heart’."

"Peak Perfection: my will is heaven’s will. A single thought moves heaven and earth. This is called ’Unity of Heaven and Man’."

Realization dawned on Liang Cheng.

’My Blade Intent and Fist Intent are both still in the first realm, the ’Intentional Movement’ stage.’