Chapter 387: Artifact Forging Duel, the Vajra Rainbow Sword
"Mo Yu is representing the Lan Family again?"
When the crowd saw that Mo Yu, who had just demonstrated his overwhelming strength, was stepping up to face Sun Wuji instead of Lan Yingying, everyone was shocked, their mouths hanging open in disbelief.
Tang Hao's expression darkened as he spoke with concern, "The Lan Family is sending Mo Yu to compete again. Could it be that this young man is not only powerful in battle but also a prodigy in artifact forging?"
Hearing this, the elder with the sword on his back standing nearby was slightly startled before shaking his head. "Don't worry. Nephew Sun Wuji is the personal disciple of the Swordsmith Elder. He is outstanding, even among fifth-grade artifact forgers. While Mo Yu's defeat of Tang San shows he has talent, it doesn't mean he is a prodigy in artifact forging as well. This match should be in your family's favor."
Nodding with a serious expression, Tang Hao still found it hard to believe that Mo Yu was both a peerless fighter and an artifact-forging genius. However, when he glanced at the calm Lan Family members, an uneasy feeling crept into his heart.
On the Tianyuan Square, Sun Wuji's cold gaze swept over Mo Yu as he said, "You may have easily defeated Tang San, which is impressive. Even in Myriad Sword Pavilion, you'd be considered a genius. But when it comes to artifact forging, pure strength isn't enough. I advise you to let Lan Yingying take your place."
Mo Yu smiled faintly, ignoring Sun Wuji's arrogant tone. "I've heard you're a talented swordsmith. I wonder if you live up to the reputation."
Sun Wuji's face turned cold. "You dare compare yourself to my master? Rest assured, you'll always be beneath him, and today, you'll fall at my hands."
"Then let's settle this with our skills," Mo Yu said, his smile never wavering.
Sun Wuji's eyes darkened as he glared at Mo Yu. "Originally, I wanted to teach Bingli's apprentice a lesson, but since you're so persistent, I'll make sure you regret it."
"Bingli... you mean Old Master Bing?" Mo Yu muttered to himself in surprise.
On the other side, as soon as Sun Wuji finished speaking, a burst of cyan flames surged from his hand, forming into a majestic blue-green eagle. The intense heat surprised the audience.
"A beast flame, huh? Not bad," Mo Yu remarked, raising an eyebrow as he observed the flaming blue-green eagle enveloping Sun Wuji's hand.
"This is the Blue Eagle Beast Flame, taken from a blue eagle beast on the verge of evolving to the seventh rank. My master bestowed it upon me when I became a fifth-grade artifact forger. To be defeated by me will be your honor!" Sun Wuji sneered as he continued to work. With a flick of his hand, a large black-and-white furnace, both grand and mysterious, appeared on the square.
In an instant, all eyes were on Sun Wuji.
The young ladies from the powerful families of West Wild City gazed at him with stars in their eyes, captivated by his flames and the impressive furnace.
Mo Yu glanced at the roaring blue flames and the ornate furnace on the stage and couldn't help but gain a little more respect for Sun Wuji.
Like alchemists, artifact forgers also rely heavily on external factors such as flames and furnaces. Sun Wuji's confidence didn't stem solely from his skills but also from the strength of his beast flame and his rare furnace.
"Do you think Brother Mo Yu can beat Sun Wuji?" Lan Bingbing asked worriedly, clutching Lan Yingying's hand as she looked between the fierce Sun Wuji and their father, who wore a concerned expression.
"Don't worry. Brother Mo Yu once single-handedly caused chaos in the Mu Lan Empire when he was only a teenager. He also founded the Hundred Weapons Hall in the Black-Corner Region, where the weapon trade covers the entire northwest. I suspect his artifact-forging skills may not be inferior to my senior brother's," Lan Yingying said confidently.
"Not inferior to your senior brother?" Lan Bingbing gasped, covering her red lips in surprise. She knew that her sister's senior brother, Feng Mu, was a disciple of the revered Master Bing, one of the Alliance's top figures. Feng Mu had already reached the rank of a sixth-grade artifact forger in his thirties and was expected to join the higher ranks of the Alliance.
If Lan Yingying believed that Mo Yu's artifact-forging skills were on par with Feng Mu's, did that mean Mo Yu was also a sixth-grade forger? Such an achievement at his age would be even more shocking than his defeat of Tang San.
"Hehe, you'll see. Brother Mo Yu's Hundred Weapons Hall has sold many top-quality weapons, some even at the sixth grade. While I've never seen any other sixth-grade artifact forgers at the hall, I suspect that Mo Yu was the one who forged them," Lan Yingying said with a sweet smile.
Lan Bingbing stared at Mo Yu with wide eyes, shaken by the revelation. If Mo Yu was not only a terrifying Seven-Star Dou Huang but also a sixth-grade artifact forger, it would be monstrous.
Meanwhile, on the Tang Family's side, the elder with the sword on his back nodded approvingly at Sun Wuji's performance and said with a chuckle, "Master Tang, rest assured. With Nephew Sun taking the lead, we will surely win this round."
Tang Hao smiled, feeling reassured. Artifact forging is a rare skill in the Dou Qi continent due to the scarcity of its knowledge. He found it hard to believe that an unknown young man like Mo Yu could surpass the Swordsmith Elder's disciple in artifact forging.
However, just as he was growing confident, his expression suddenly froze.
On the Tianyuan Square, Mo Yu glanced at the sneering Sun Wuji and slowly began to smile. He raised his hand, and a fiery red thunderfire shot out, transforming into a fiery phoenix that roared toward Sun Wuji's Blue Eagle Beast Flame.
Boom!
Under the fiery phoenix's roar, Sun Wuji's blue flame instantly faltered. Then, in front of the astonished crowd, the Blue Eagle Beast Flame seemed to flee in terror, retreating into Sun Wuji's palm.
Wow!
A wave of gasps and murmurs filled the audience as they watched this unexpected turn of events. All eyes turned to the crimson thunderfire phoenix swirling around Mo Yu.
What kind of terrifying flame was this that could make the powerful Blue Eagle Beast Flame cower in fear?
In the Tang Family's seats, Tang Hao looked at the red thunderfire surrounding Mo Yu, his expression growing more serious. "Sun Wuji's Blue Eagle Beast Flame was taken from a beast on the verge of reaching the seventh rank. Even among beast flames, it's quite formidable. But that red thunderfire... for it to terrify the Blue Eagle Beast Flame... What is this kid's origin?"
The elder with the sword also frowned. "A flame with lightning properties? The only similar flame I know of is the Nine-Dragon Lightning Fire from the Burning Flame Valley. But that's a unique flame passed down within the valley, and this boy's flame doesn't quite match its description. It seems that Mo Yu has a flame that rivals the power of an Heavenly Flame."
"Damn, it seems this kid has more secrets than we thought. This duel..." Tang Hao said with a heavy heart, feeling uneasy.
The elder also lost his earlier confidence but quickly shook his head. "Even so, just relying on the quality of his flame to win is foolish. Nephew Sun has learned the true art of sword forging from the Swordsmith Elder. He has mastered the Vajra Rainbow Sword, a top-tier fifth-grade weapon. Even in the Alliance, it's considered the pinnacle of weapon crafting among the younger generation."
"Vajra Rainbow Sword..." Lan Yuan muttered, his face showing surprise.
The Vajra Rainbow Sword was indeed a top-tier fifth-grade weapon, highly sought after. It was a reward given to inner disciples of Myriad Sword Pavilion, and even in the outside world, such a weapon was nearly impossible to obtain, even for a million gold coins.
For Mo Yu to win, he would have to forge a sixth-grade weapon—an almost impossible feat for someone his age.
Thinking this, Lan Yuan began to relax.
On the square, Sun Wuji glanced warily at Mo Yu's red thunderfire and snorted before focusing back on his work. He snapped his fingers, and his flames surged into his black-and-white furnace.
Though he had lost in the flame competition, artifact forging required more than just flame quality. It also tested soul power, precision, and technique. As a disciple of the Swordsmith Elder, Sun Wuji did not believe that a no-name like Mo Yu could best him.
To prevent Mo Yu from affecting his flames, Sun Wuji distanced himself slightly. His body was now entirely engulfed by the Blue Eagle Beast Flame.
Surrounded by fire, Sun Wuji gave Mo Yu a cold smile before raising his hand. A surge of blue flame erupted from his fingertips and shot into the furnace.
In no time, the flames were roaring inside the furnace. Sun Wuji flicked his fingers again, tossing the prepared materials—adamantine and demon rock iron—into the furnace.
Immediately, the flames engulfed the materials, burning and refining them intensely.
It was clear that Sun Wuji was highly skilled, even surpassing Meng Yang, the chief forger of Mo Yu's Hundred Weapons Hall, in speed and technique. His movements were fluid and confident, unlike the cautious approach of less experienced forgers.
Despite his youth, Sun Wuji exuded the calm and assured demeanor of a seasoned artisan—an aura typically seen in master forgers who had honed their craft over decades.
Mo Yu couldn't help but raise an eyebrow, recognizing Sun Wuji's impressive skills. It was clear that he wasn't just some arrogant youth. Talent from a place like Zhongzhou was indeed on a different level from those in the Northwest. This only reinforced Mo Yu's resolve to move his faction, Yuanfu, to Zhongzhou as soon as possible.
While Mo Yu was lost in thought, Sun Wuji was rapidly refining the materials in his furnace. Under his careful control, the raw materials slowly began to fuse, forming the shape of a sword embryo.
"Ah, a flying sword. That's a top-tier weapon among fifth-grade artifacts. No wonder he's confident he can defeat Lan Yingying," Mo Yu murmured, mildly impressed, but then smirked.
Although flying swords were top-tier fifth-grade weapons, they held no special advantage for him.
With a wave of his hand, Mo Yu summoned a simple furnace. The red thunderfire phoenix in mid-air descended gracefully, diving into the furnace and instantly raising the temperature within.
When Sun Wuji saw Mo Yu using a plain furnace, a sneer spread across his face.
But Mo Yu paid no mind to Sun Wuji's mockery. In his previous life, he could forge countless weapons with his bare hands. Though he wasn't at that level yet in this life, even with a simple furnace, he could outshine most forgers.
Mo Yu refocused on his task, carefully placing the materials into the furnace. Unlike Sun Wuji's grandiose technique, Mo Yu's movements were calm, almost unremarkable. The only notable difference was the precision with which he handled each material, showing his exceptional control over his soul power.
Seeing this, Tang Hao, from the audience, frowned. He felt something was off but couldn't quite pinpoint what. As he observed Mo Yu's seemingly simple approach, his concerns gradually eased.
Time passed slowly.
"Mo Yu, you can't win against me!" Sun Wuji suddenly shouted. His hand slapped down onto his furnace, causing its lid to fly off. Blue flames surged out, and a beam of rainbow-colored light shot forth, piercing the Blue Eagle Beast Flame as it rose into the air.
Within that radiant beam, a peerless sword emerged, its edge gleaming with a chilling light. Sun Wuji summoned it into his hand, grinning wildly.
"Ha! The Vajra Rainbow Sword is complete! This is a peak fifth-grade weapon. Let's see how you compete with this!" Sun Wuji's confident laughter echoed through the square, sending a ripple of silence through the crowd. Then, as they processed what had just happened, their eyes lit up with awe, staring at the sword in Sun Wuji's hand.
"The Vajra Rainbow Sword... a peak fifth-grade weapon, known for its unmatched quality. There's a legend of a Myriad Sword Pavilion enforcer using this sword to slay three Dou Wang at once. Even a Dou Huang wielding it would be invincible against others of the same rank. I can't believe Sun Wuji actually forged it," Lan Yuan said grimly from the Lan Family's seats.
Lan Bingbing immediately tried to encourage him. "Father, Brother Mo Yu won't lose!"
Sigh "It will be hard for Mo Yu to win unless..." Lan Yuan's voice trailed off, as he shook his head self-deprecatingly.
Lan Yingying smiled confidently. "Don't worry, Father. Mo Yu might just surprise us with a sixth-grade weapon."
Just as her words faded, something unexpected happened on the square.
Mo Yu looked at the smug Sun Wuji and then at his own furnace. His hearty laughter rang out, catching everyone's attention.
"Behold, a sixth-grade weapon: the Imperial Soul-Capturing Spear! Rise!"
(End of Chapter)
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