Blade smith

Liu Ping looked at the small burning texts, his expression gradually becoming vivid.

"So that's how it is... Because I have money, you gave me this skill, right?"

In the void, the lines of burning small texts remained

[Congratulations.]

[You have obtained a new mystery-type ability — Performance Class mystery: The One Who Debuts.]

[Explanation: You can designate an enemy as 'The One Who Debuts'(initiator for short).' The assigned enemy, as if stepping on stage for the first time, will be prone to either forgetting their 'lines' (causing memory lapses) or performing actions incorrectly (movement failures). You can choose which effect occurs.]

[Activating this skill requires consuming a significant amount of currency depending on the power level of the enemy.]

[Art may not be directly tied to money, but our art requires burning it.]

Liu Ping stood in place, hesitating briefly.

"This skill... it's useful. It can definitely be used to mess with opponents in critical moments. Good, very good—it suits me perfectly."

He turned to leave but paused mid-step. Glancing back, he said, "This metal ball is part of the Upper Realms Pole. It contains a powerful force for subduing monsters and eliminating demons. If you're not using it, I'm taking it with me."

Another line of words appeared:

[Do as you please.]

Liu Ping nodded, tucking the metal ball into his storage bag.

By now, it was nearing the end of the afternoon. The sky was already beginning to darken.

"I must make the best use of time—otherwise, when the judge comes, it'll be the real trouble!"

Liu Ping dashed into the military compound, moving like a whirlwind. He quickly found a Rejuvenation Cultivator responsible for defending the camp and pressed his hand against the cultivator's storage bag.

With his other hand, Liu Ping began casting secret arts, his movements swift and precise.

In just 32 breaths, the storage bag emitted a crisp "pā" sound.

—The restriction on the storage bag had been broken!—

"You've already lost everything. Lending me a hand now is better than wasting what remains. I'll repay you in the future, so don't hold a grudge."

Without hesitation, Liu Ping emptied the storage bag, collecting materials and spirit stones before moving on to another high-level Cultivator.

This time, it only took a few breaths for the restriction on the storage bag to shatter.

"Excellent! Some basic materials—and Myriad Thunders Cold Wood! Perfect for a blade handle," Liu Ping said with satisfaction.

He continued seeking out cultivators with higher cultivation bases, breaking into their storage bags, taking spirit stones, and scavenging for materials.

After roughly a quarter of an hour, Liu Ping had amassed a massive reserve of spirit stones and just enough materials for his purposes.

Bursting into the smithy, he ignited the furnace with a single motion and began tossing in an array of materials. Finally, he added the metal sphere from the Demon-Eradicating Pole.

In the void, lines of burning characters appeared:

[With your current strength, you cannot fully wield the Artifact Refining Technique you created.]

[Can you still forge a blade?]

Liu Ping, without hesitation, replied, "This is my best chance. I'll make it happen first and figure out the rest later!"

Boundless spiritual power erupted from Liu Ping's body. He closed his eyes, feeling the flow of energy around him for a few breaths before sighing.

"Looks like I'll have to use up every last bit of spiritual power in one go."

With that, he pinched his fingers into a technique casting gesture, pouring all his strength into the forging process.

The flames in the furnace leaped, transforming into dazzling fire snakes that coiled and danced in the air. They circled around the room, weaving between the various weapons displayed on the walls. One by one, the fire snakes consumed the weapons, melting them down and spitting their essence into the furnace as glowing liquid metal.

The fire snakes seemed to favor treasure-grade artifacts, focusing their energy on devouring the most powerful weapons. After several moments, the weapon shop was stripped bare, its once-proud displays now empty.

Still unsatisfied, the fire snakes slithered out of the shop, roaming the military compound in search of more prey. They sought out the weapons of cultivators soaring through the sky, greedily swallowing their treasures as well.

After about a quarter of an hour, the flames returned to the furnace with a thunderous roar, their final meal consumed.

Liu Ping's hands danced in intricate patterns as he changed his technique, his voice low and commanding:

"Rising is Supreme, falling is Nine Serenities! This is the technique of the unpredictable—converge to me!"

The furnace roared in response, emitting intermittent plumes of dark smoke. From its depths, a single blood-red point of light emerged, hovering gently in midair.

Liu Ping's brow furrowed as he examined it, muttering, "If only I had the complete Pole. The Supreme power would've been richer. Nine Serenities alone creates an imbalance... This weapon will break sooner or later. If only I could find materials imbued with evil essence..."

Suddenly, an idea struck him. He reached into his storage bag and pulled out the monster's eyeball.

"Let's try this!"

He tossed the eyeball into the furnace. The moment it hit the flames, the fire surged, crackling with an ominous, dark light. Liu Ping wasted no time, casting secret arts with rapid precision to guide the pitch-black glow into the blood-red point.

The energy collided and fused. Frost-like patterns began forming in the void, glittering and translucent, as layer upon layer of chilling power solidified the light.

One breath.

Two breaths.

Three breaths.

Finally, the frost melted into a current of water, pouring into the furnace and extinguishing the flames.

The blood-red glow dimmed, losing its brilliance, and gradually coalesced into a dark, heavy blade. Ashen streaks marred its surface, evidence of its imperfection.

Liu Ping studied the weapon and sighed. "The materials weren't enough, and my own strength is still lacking. This time, I've barely managed to forge a basic prototype..."

He held the blade in his hands, contemplating its potential and limitations.

Liu Ping stepped forward, extending his fingers to gently touch the spine of the blade.

Ka-cha!

The dull gray outer shell of the long blade cracked slightly, revealing a pristine, snow-white interior.

He reached out and grasped the handle firmly, lifting the blade with ease. As he swung it gently, the gray shell shattered completely, disintegrating into intermittent ashes that drifted to the ground.

The blade was narrow, no wider than two fingers and its straight edge gleamed with an icy brilliance. At the tip, a sharply raised corner gave it a fierce, unique appearance.

Liu Ping stood still, holding the blade as if it were an extension of his own body. The sharpness of its aura grew palpable, spreading through the air like a chilling frost.

With a deliberate motion, he swung the blade again. A cold, silvery light shimmered at the edge, while a faint, dark shadow trailed behind. The weapon radiated an almost hypnotic energy, as though it harbored a bewitching soul.

In the void above him, burning lines of small words emerged:

[This is the first Blade you have forged since regaining your consciousness. It is an exclusive weapon of your creation. Please name it.]

Liu Ping gazed at the blade for a moment before speaking softly, "A blade as cold as snow… Let's call it Snow Shadow."

The burning characters shifted rapidly, displaying a new explanation:

[You have forged the blade: Snow Shadow.]

[Because this blade carries a unique spirit mark engraved through your exclusive technique, it can be used to unleash formations, talismans, and even other secret arts.]

[Blending various wonders and encapsulating profound laws, this blade defies traditional cultivation rankings.]

Satisfied, Liu Ping sheathed Snow Shadow and calculated the time.

The evening was fast approaching.

He glanced into the distance, his mind briefly drifting to Karadur. I wonder if they've uncovered anything yet… No matter. I must return to Dark Mist Town before nightfall.

Reaching into his storage bag, he pulled out a green playing card—the Return Card from Karadur.

He threw the card high into the air and spoke softly, "Return."

The card transformed instantly into a green glow that enveloped him completely, pulling him into the void until he vanished without a trace.

...

Western Desolate Great Camp

Half an hour later.

The camp slowly returned to normal. Cultivators resumed their routines, the hustle and bustle of activity filling the air.

At this moment, a woman emerged slowly from the Heavenly Resonance Pavilion tent, walking toward the perimeter of the camp.

She glanced around, her sharp eyes scanning the surroundings as if searching for something. But there was nothing unusual to be found.

Frowning slightly, she closed her eyes and concentrated, feeling the faint residual traces in the air. After a moment, she murmured to herself:

"Interesting... someone was able to evade the grand war formation's attack and vanish without a trace. Such a method is entirely beyond..."

She let out a soft hum of discontent and turned, heading briskly toward the market area.

...

A Quarter of an Hour Later

Heavenly Resonance Pavilion Tent

The faint scent of incense drifted on a gentle breeze, mingling with the chime-like tones of delicate music. A graceful figure stepped forward, her movements elegant and deliberate.

"Sister Lian Xue, what are you looking at?" a young woman nearby asked curiously.

Lian Xue, standing with her arms crossed, glanced around and responded, "Strange. Why are so many people wearing bamboo hats?"

The young woman chuckled. "I heard that someone has been distributing them in secret—for free."

Lian Xue fell silent, her mind racing.

Earlier, she had gone to the market in search of information. But what greeted her was a peculiar scene: a significant number of cultivators wearing bamboo hats, hurrying through the paths with their faces hidden.

These bamboo hats, she knew, were a masterpiece of craftsmanship. Designed by skilled artificers, they could shield their wearers from both prying eyes and divine sense. The hats concealed facial features, masked cultivation levels, suppressed aura fluctuations, and even altered the wearer's voice. Highly sought after by powerful and wealthy cultivators, they were typically rare and expensive.

But now, so many people were wearing them.

With such effective concealment, it was impossible to discern the identity of anyone beneath the hats unless they exposed themselves intentionally.

Lian Xue continued walking through the market, her frustration mounting. Everyone she tried to approach was hidden beneath one of these hats, their hurried movements giving nothing away.

Worse still, these hats had changed the dynamics among cultivators entirely. Conversations, plots, and alliances that might have occurred were now thoroughly disrupted.

This... this is a serious issue.

She halted in her tracks, her face darkening with a chilling resolve.

"Fine. let the judge take care of everything" she said coldly, her tone carrying an icy determination.