Festival

Over the next days, sounds of metal hitting metal, shrieks and flashes of light wouldn't stop to surge from the smithy.

"Shing!" "Clank!" Xueqin was swinging his new hammers over a piece of that strange metal. The hammers cut over the metal, but instead of slicing it, each cut left a shining trail that expanded over the metal.

With great strength and precision Xueqin sliced over the metal, alternating cuts and hits, twisting the hammers, slowly refining the metal until in front of him stood a perfect piece of a black metal.

"Perfect! It's much smoother than before" Xueqin said with a smile. He looked at his hammers "With these, I would be able to put my sword arts comprehension in use. In the future I might be able to use sword intent in it."

Even when he tried it before, using sword intent was truly too unstable, being impossible to control to do the refinement.

After finishing, Xueqin started testing with the refinement desk, trying to control the flames, making them accordingly for the metal, indulging himself in a refining trance.

...

After a week of continuously refining, barely eating, Xueqin finally left the manor. He found his comprehension over blacksmithing had reach a completely new level. But after so much time, he needed a good rest so he was searching for something good to eat over the city, much calmer than usual as he had decided to take some days of rest. A good rest was necessary from time to time to not burn himself.

Looking around, Xueqin couldn't help to notice that there was a lot of people around, much more than usual, Xueqin never having seen so many people in Sword God City.

"What's happening?" He tilted his head in confusion as he observed the crowds everywhere, discovering that most of them wore masks, showing that they were outside people.

"Gold brother!" Xueqin quickly turned around to the voice, seeing a cute blond little girl coming towards him waving her hand at him.

"Star sis?" Xueqin said surprised "How are you here? I thought that you only come once a year."

"You're right, but how could I miss the Sword Douluo Festival?" Stargod said like if it was the most normal.

"Sword God Festival?"

"You don't know?" Stargod said with a deadpan face "How could you not know about it when you are here? I'll need to explain" she sighed.

Xueqin rolled his eyes, already used to her antics, always wanting to show off "Oh please tell me, all knowledgeable Stargod!" Xueqin said while doing an overexalted bow.

Stargod glanced a little angry at Xueqin's joke but nevertheless she answered "Every 5 years in the Sword Valley there's the Sword Douluo Festival. Its purpose is to fight for the Sword Douluo title. Only the strongest swordmaster could have the title and be named as Sword Douluo."

"As it is such a hassle to fight everyone to keep the title, this festival occurs. I fight of those recognizing by the Sword Valley as the Sword Monarchs fighting each other to finally challenge the actual Sword Douluo who tries to defend her title." Stargod explained. "My dream is to at least fight for the title someday, surpassing my dad" the last part Stargod said it with a low and sad tone, Xueqin not listening it.

"So all the people here had come to see the fight?"

"Of course not!" shouted Stargod "The fight between Monarchs it's too high level to spectate it. If it weren't for the Sword Valley's protection, suppressing the damage of the fight, it would destroy all the area. Only people at the All Sword Realm are capable to see it."

"People come to the festival. Celebrating the fight, a great tournament is celebrated, swordmasters all over the world coming to participate" Stargod explained excited "There's different categories based in your sword cultivation, being Intent, Domain, Heart and All Sword. All of them with great prizes for the winner."

Listening about such a giant tournament made Xueqin excited. It was against people all over the world! He wanted to fight them!

"There's no age limit?" Xueqin asked, wanting to know the details.

"As it's inside the Sword Valley the soul cultivation is restricted so only the sword cultivation matters, without minding the age. However, to the Intent Tournament there's an age restriction of 18 years, to limit the incredible number. The people that participates at the Intent Tournament is so high that there are some pre-tournament outside to choose who will participate at the main one in the Sword Valley." Stargod explained "The winners of outside tournament are already decided and next week the main tournament would comence, starting from the lowest cultivation and finishing with the Monarchs's fight."

Xueqin face fell "So I won't be able to participate?"

"Tch! tch!" Stargod shook her index finger "We are part of the Inner Valley as such we are exempt of the preeliminars, being able to directly go to the main tournament."

"Great!" Xueqin sighed in relieve "I can't wait to fight against others".

"We must be prepared" Stargod warned "For what I know, the early tournament is more of a fight of the Inner Valley against the people from outside. Only the best talents enter the Inner Valley but it doesn't mean that there aren't any strong swordmaster from outside and most of them being much older than us, it would become a battle of talent vs age."

"You know how are the battle?" Xueqin asked already thinking how could he face against different situations.

Stargod shook her head "The final round is an eliminatory round if the best 8, but for how these 8 are chosen, I don't know. Every year is different, it could be from individual battles, a tournament based on points or even a battle royale."

"I suppose that it's normal. We must learn to act in any situation" Xueqin deducted.

Stargod nodded and hugged Xueqin's arm tightly dragging him "Let's inscribe now Knowing you, you could be so excited to even forget it."

Xueqin smiled letting himself being pushed. They went outside to the city and for Xueqin's surprise an incredible enormous stadium over 500 meters long was there. Its main body was gray and was illuminated by multiple different colored lights.

"How could it be?" Xueqin said surprised "That wasn't here last week."

"Don't be so surprised. It's said that Sword Douluo was the one who made it. For her doing something like this is nothing." Stargod praised full of admiration "Here, she is like a god."

Xueqin nodded, he really wanted to meet the Sword Douluo some day, wanting to cross the swords with her.

They went forward the stadium and registered in a small office outside. Xueqin had the number 6 and Stargod the number 7. They were instructed to come at the morning of the tournament's day.

Once they finished, Xueqin turned to Stargod "Let's have some spar!" he requested lifting his hand.

"Okay" she held his hand "but..." she broke the handshake with a determined lool "Let's make it at the main tournament. There, I will show you how much I grew. It would be different this time." She turned away, leaving Xueqin while wearing a grin over her face.

Xueqin smiled at her and said silently "I look forward to."