Seeing this, Ling Yu stomped his foot in anger.
You must know that once the first weapon rune is engraved, regardless of whether the artifact is successfully forged or not, it will automatically become a First-Rank Dharma Artifact!
In the Desolate Country, weapons are primarily classified as Dharma Artifacts, ranging from the first to the ninth rank!
Above the Dharma Artifacts are the legendary Spirit Artifacts!
"A First-Rank Dharma Artifact?"
Liu Qingqing looked at Su Xie, her expression growing increasingly solemn.
"It seems that your judgment was poor in this competition."
At the judges' bench, Elder Chen chuckled at Elder Wang, increasingly impressed by the weapon-forging talent Su Xie had displayed.
Elder Wang let out a cold snort, casting a displeased glare at Ling Yu: "Xiao Yu, quickly engrave the weapon runes and show your past weapon-forging talent. This competition is your home turf, after all!"
"Understood, Elder Wang!"
Ling Yu gritted his teeth, his eyes gradually bloodshot as he instantly increased his focus on engraving the weapon embryo.
Liu Qingqing glanced at Elder Chen, a trace of determination flashing across her icy face as she let go of all reservations and fully concentrated on engraving her weapon runes.
For a moment, both of them formed hand seals, unleashing a dazzling array of spiritual light!
Meanwhile, on Su Xie's side.
After engraving the first weapon rune, he unhurriedly proceeded to engrave the second.
His technique was extremely proficient, smooth like flowing water, without the slightest hesitation.
A brilliant burst of spiritual light swept out, intertwining across the void like a visual feast that left countless people staring without blinking.
"This technique..."
Watching this unfold, Elder Wang suddenly felt a trace of regret flash through his eyes.
You must know that with the seasoned technique Su Xie displayed, even he and Elder Chen couldn't achieve such a level.
Let alone Ling Yu, a raw beginner who had merely scratched the surface of weapon-forging.
The outcome of this competition was already decided!
With a burning gaze, Elder Chen looked at Su Xie as if eyeing a precious treasure and smiled: "There must be a weapon-forging master instructing this kid from behind, otherwise his forging attainments could never reach this level!"
Hum!
The next moment, Su Xie had already engraved the second weapon rune!
It drew cheers from countless people in the audience!
Faced with Su Xie, who was the center of attention, Ling Yu wore an extremely gloomy expression. The weapon-forging talent he had always been so proud of had actually fallen behind someone else at this moment.
This was a result he had never imagined and was unwilling to see.
"Despicable lower-class wretch, you forced me to do this!"
While forging, Ling Yu concealed his hand in his sleeve, and with a swift flick of his spiritual light, released a highly venomous spirit scorpion.
With a flick of his finger, it rapidly darted toward Su Xie's side.
All of this happened in the flash of a spark, far too fast for ordinary people to perceive.
However, it could not escape the discerning eyes of Elder Chen and Elder Wang.
"Shameless scoundrel!"
Elder Chen cursed angrily and was about to step in and stop it.
Elder Wang, however, intercepted him with one hand and smiled calmly, "Elder Chen, what are you doing? The rules of this competition never said that interference tactics aren't allowed."
"Weapon forgers like us cannot expect smooth sailing all the time during the forging process. If he gets affected this easily, he can only blame his own lack of strength and unstable state of mind!"
Elder Wang looked at Su Xie and smiled with a righteous facade.
"Absurd! A competition is a competition. How can we break the rules just because he belongs to the Ling Family?"
Filled with righteous indignation, Elder Chen clearly could not stomach Ling Yu's despicable method.
Just as he insisted on stopping it, Su Xie abruptly noticed the approaching spirit scorpion and swiftly activated the Devouring Heaven Formula. With a massive engulfing force that surged the moment the scorpion drew near, he swallowed it in one gulp until not even ashes remained!
"Good lad, he certainly has plenty of secrets up his sleeve!"
Seeing this, Elder Chen stopped in his tracks, the smile on his face growing even wider.
Elder Wang's expression darkened once more, and he gradually fell silent.
Boom!
At that moment, two consecutive rumbling sounds echoed as Ling Yu and Liu Qingqing successfully engraved their first weapon runes.
After engraving his second weapon rune, Su Xie did not continue further. Instead, he picked up a hammer and began a thousand-fold tempering process on the weapon embryo.
As they watched the weapon embryo gradually take shape, wisps of spatial power continuously swirled through the void!
The onlookers could not help gasping in admiration: "Hiss, this is the law of space! The weapon that kid wants to forge is actually a spatial-type Dharma Artifact!"
"What? A spatial-type Dharma Artifact?"
Hearing this, a surge of intense jealousy flashed in Ling Yu's eyes.
You must understand that this type of Dharma Artifact is not only the most difficult for a weapon forger to create, but it also requires an understanding of spatial laws and extremely superb application techniques to forge successfully!
Liu Qingqing's bright eyes flickered, and her gaze toward Su Xie carried a hint of admiration: "A supreme talent! When did Lingxiu City ever produce such a figure?"
Another roar echoed!
After tossing the tempered weapon embryo back into the tripod furnace for secondary processing, Su Xie stretched lazily.
"Everyone, the Dharma Artifact I'm forging is done. I'm withdrawing from the competition."
Su Xie smiled lazily, stepped away from the forging platform, and walked straight toward the competition rest area.
This scene left countless people filled with confusion.
Is it finished just like that?
According to the weapon-forging process, aren't there still several steps remaining?
"Impossible! The competition has barely lasted half an hour. How could he possibly finish forging in such a short time?!"
Watching Su Xie make a stylish exit, Ling Yu stomped his feet in anger and rebuked him frantically.
Not just him—some contestants at other forging platforms who were still stuck at the material-refining stage also looked on with doubt.
For a weapon forger, forging a Dharma Artifact in half an hour was nothing short of a fairytale.
Let alone in Lingxiu City, even across the entire Desolate Country, such individuals could be counted on one hand!
"Heh, what you cannot accomplish doesn't mean others can't."
Inside the rest area, Su Xie was already holding a cup of tea and sipping it.
Seeing Su Xie's leisurely and contented demeanor, Ling Yu grew even more enraged and viciously declared, "Just you wait! I'll forge a high-rank Dharma Artifact and trample you underfoot!"
"The competition continues."
Elder Chen chose to brush aside this small episode. As for the quality of the Dharma Artifact Su Xie had forged, they would know once the competition ended and the tripod furnace was opened.
Time ticked away drop by drop.
Three hours were nearly up.
Ling Yu and Liu Qingqing had both swiftly completed their forging.
Not just them, but over a dozen others also rushed to finish the competition.
Dong—
The sound of an ancient bell rang out.
Contestants who had failed to finish forging within the allotted time shook their heads in disappointment, cast envious glances at Ling Yu and the others, and were ruthlessly eliminated.
"Is it finally time to open the furnaces?"
Watching the various tripod furnaces presented on the arena floor, the breathing of countless people in the audience grew hurried at that moment.
With a loud boom!
Liu Qingqing was the first to open her furnace.
A flash of cyan light revealed an exquisite and delicate dagger.
"Three weapon runes! This is a Third-Rank Dharma Artifact!"
At the judges' bench, Elder Chen glanced at the razor-sharp dagger, nodded, and praised admiringly: "Not bad, this Dharma Artifact has already reached the level of cutting through iron like mud, full of sharpness."
As Elder Chen's voice fell, countless gazes turned toward Liu Qingqing, deeply captivated by her genius-level forging attainments.
"So she's the daughter of the Imperial Capital's Liu Family! Hiss, no wonder she's so astonishingly talented!"
"Haha, Miss Liu is not only breathtakingly beautiful, but her weapon-forging skills are also peerless!"
Recognizing Liu Qingqing's identity, the crowd began showering her with flattery.
At this moment, Liu Qingqing wore a cyan robe with her dark hair draped over her shoulders, her sleeves fluttering gracefully to give off the aura of a refined noble lady.
"Hmph, so what if it's a Third-Rank Dharma Artifact? What's so great about that?"
Seeing everyone showering her with praise, Ling Yu proudly lifted his head, raised his hand, and slammed his palm against his tripod furnace, blasting it open: "I've named this staff the Mountain-Splitting Staff. It weighs three hundred catties, possesses the ability to shatter giant boulders, and with a single strike, anyone below the Xiantian Realm will either die or be crippled!"
As his voice fell, a pitch-black iron staff that looked as though it had been scorched by fire appeared in the void, erupting with a pressure as heavy as Mount Tai, as if a single strike could split heaven and earth!
"Three and a half weapon runes!"
"Hiss, this is actually a three-and-a-half-rank Dharma Artifact! Young Master Ling truly lives up to his name as Lingxiu City's youngest weapon-forging genius!"
"Such strength is truly monstrous!"
Countless people in the crowd gasped, their gazes shifting away from Liu Qingqing and landing squarely on Ling Yu.
"Xiao Yu, well done! You are guaranteed to take first place in this competition!"
Looking at the three and a half silver runes on the Mountain-Splitting Staff, even Elder Wang was overjoyed, never expecting Ling Yu's forging skill to be so high that it directly outperformed Liu Qingqing.
Immediately afterward, Elder Wang turned around and looked triumphantly at Elder Chen: "Heh, Elder Chen, you're going to lose this time."
"Not necessarily."
Elder Chen took a deep breath and cast his gaze toward Su Xie instead.
Elder Wang laughed mockingly: "What, are you pinning all your final hopes on that kid? Even if that kid managed to finish forging, he only produced two weapon runes. A mere Second-Rank Dharma Artifact—how could it possibly beat Ling Yu?"
"Everyone, I made a few mistakes this time, otherwise I could have forged a true Fourth-Rank Dharma Artifact!"
Faced with the admiring gazes of the crowd, Ling Yu's eyes were filled with arrogance as he began to boast wildly.
However, the crowd firmly believed him, given that he was a forging genius who possessed beast fire.
"Kid, it's your turn to open your furnace!"
With a holier-than-thou expression, Ling Yu pointed at Su Xie, eager to trample him underfoot right then and there.
"Since you wish for it so, then as you desire!"
Su Xie sneered and immediately flicked his finger.
Rumble!
Suddenly, his tripod furnace erupted with a heaven-shaking explosion.
"Did his furnace blow up?"
Faced with this massive commotion, Ling Yu laughed heartily: "I told you so! With how carelessly you forged, kid, how could you possibly succeed!"
"Everything you did before was just for show!"
Looking down at Su Xie from on high, Ling Yu gazed at him as if he were a failure.
"Hiss, weapon-forging is truly something that cannot be rushed. Otherwise, this is the price of showing off!"
"Competing in forging right in front of Young Master Ling—that kid was simply humiliating himself. I have no idea where he got the guts to challenge Young Master Ling."
For a moment, voices of derision toward Su Xie rose in a chorus.
Watching Su Xie instantly turn into a laughingstock, Elder Wang was also overjoyed in his heart and fiercely flicked his sleeves: "I hereby announce that the first place in this weapon-forging competition goes to Ling Yu..."
However, before he could finish speaking.
Hum!
The moment the explosion subsided, the tripod furnace before Su Xie rapidly emitted an intense golden glow!
The golden light grew brighter and brighter, dazzling the eyes of the crowd until it stung.
In an instant, the entire stone plaza trembled violently!
The expressions of the crowd shifted; unable to maintain their footing, they hastily channeled their spiritual energy and retreated backward.
"Damn it! What on earth did that kid forge to cause such a huge commotion?"
Witnessing this sudden reversal, Ling Yu's laughter cut short as he too retreated, choosing to avoid the sharp edge of the phenomenon.
At this moment.
Wherever the golden light reached, it was as radiant as the midday sun, continuously enveloping the entire Lingxiu City!
"That is..."
As the golden light gradually dissipated, Elder Wang's expression shifted drastically, as if he had discovered something unimaginable.
"It's weapon resonance!"
Elder Chen stared excitedly at the sight, ecstatic as he cried out: "Haha, this is actually weapon resonance! The Dharma Artifact he forged actually produced weapon resonance!"
"This kid's talent in weapon-forging is comparable to a supreme prodigy! In the future, he will surely possess the demeanor of a Grandmaster!"
Elder Chen looked at Su Xie, his gaze burning bright.
"Weapon resonance? Hiss, is this his true strength?"
Liu Qingqing's breathing grew more hurried. The look in her eyes as she gazed at Su Xie became increasingly complicated, and gradually, she was filled with genuine admiration.
If she were to lose to someone like this, her defeat wouldn't be unjust.
"Impossible! At his age, how could he possibly forge something with weapon resonance?!"
"I don't believe it! I, Ling Yu, am the true weapon-forging genius!"
Watching this scene, Ling Yu went completely mad, his bloodshot eyes locked onto Su Xie with a desire to kill him to vent his anger.
You must know that in the path of weapon-forging, anyone capable of producing weapon resonance was undoubtedly a true monstrous talent!
Once a Dharma Artifact was blessed with weapon resonance, its grade would be elevated to an entirely new level!
"Everyone, this Dharma Artifact of mine is a spatial ring. It can store items at will, and the space inside is large enough to hold a main hall."
Ignoring the shock of the crowd, Su Xie maintained a calm expression as he introduced the Dharma Artifact he had forged.
High in the void!
As the golden light scattered, an exquisite silver ring was displayed before everyone's eyes in dazzling brilliance.
"Although this spatial ring only produced two weapon runes, it harbors a trace of weapon resonance, raising its grade to the standard of a Fourth-Rank Dharma Artifact!"
Suppressing his excitement, Elder Chen stepped forward to give his evaluation: "What he said is true; this Dharma Artifact can indeed hold a grand hall!"
"Hiss, this kid's forging attainments are truly terrifying!"
"Young friend, can you sell this spatial ring to me? I am willing to offer a high price of one million silver taels to buy it from you!"
"Don't fight me for it, bastards! I want this spatial treasure; I'm willing to pay one million two hundred thousand silver taels for it!"
Instantly, several wealthy tycoons and cultivators looking to unearth treasures surged forward with burning gazes, bidding fiercely.
You must know that ordinary spatial Dharma Artifacts could at best store items the size of a storage cabinet, whereas the spatial ring Su Xie forged could accommodate an entire hall!
Such a vast space undoubtedly provided immense convenience for cultivators.
After all, the stronger a cultivator was, the more items they needed to carry on their person.
Amidst the bidding of these people, Su Xie instantly became the focal point of the entire competition!
"Everyone, quiet down! If anyone intends to purchase this spatial Dharma Artifact, you may negotiate the transaction privately after the competition."
Elder Chen glanced at Su Xie, who remained completely unmoved, and stepped forward to mediate.
It was obvious that Su Xie had no intention of selling this spatial ring. After all, having been reborn, he didn't even have a spatial Dharma Artifact of his own yet.
"Elder Wang, the first place in this competition goes to Su Xie. Do you have any objections?"
Elder Chen waved his hand, glanced at the registration details Su Xie had submitted when entering the competition, and began announcing the winner.
"Hmph, here is a bank note for one hundred thousand taels!"
Glancing sideways at Su Xie in the distance, Elder Wang casually tossed a bank note at Elder Chen and turned to leave.
Seeing this, Lin Yuan, the manager standing nearby, couldn't help feeling a bit incredulous.
He never expected that the young man he had casually brought along would directly capture first place in the competition. It was completely unexpected.
After the competition ended, the crowd gradually dispersed.
Lin Yuan took the lead and walked toward Su Xie, cupping his fists with a smile: "Haha, young friend, you are truly a dragon among men. Old Yu's eyes were blind earlier."
"It's fine. If senior hadn't passed along the message, I wouldn't have been able to participate in this weapon-forging competition either."
Su Xie cupped his fists in return.
Lin Yuan nodded: "Unarrogant and impetuous—with a mindset like this, no wonder young friend can become a great talent in weapon-forging."
"Young friend, follow me. Our Elder wants to see you."
With a smile, Lin Yuan led Su Xie to a nearby inn.
This was an inn affiliated with the Imperial Capital's Weapon Forgers Guild.
Upon entering the inn, Su Xie was the first to spot Ling Yu and Liu Qingqing, who had just finished collecting their rewards.
"Fellow daoist, this is an invitation card from the Liu Family of the Imperial Capital. If you ever come to the Imperial Capital in the future, you are welcome to visit our Liu Family at any time."
Before leaving the inn, Liu Qingqing lingered her gaze on Su Xie for a moment, offered a contemplative smile, and produced an envelope.
Clearly, this was a gesture of goodwill she was extending to Su Xie on behalf of her Liu Family.
Judging by the weapon-forging attainments Su Xie had currently displayed, as long as he wasn't cut down midway, given time, he would undoubtedly become a generation of Weapon-Forging Grandmasters.
If her Liu Family could befriend a future Weapon-Forging Grandmaster, it certainly wouldn't be a bad investment.
"Very well, Miss Liu. When Su has the time, I will certainly visit."
Su Xie readily accepted the invitation.
As the saying goes, when traveling away from home, making one more friend means opening one more path.
Even if they might not become true confidants, Su Xie was willing to play along to some extent.
Sometimes, the path of cultivation wasn't just about killing and fighting; it was even more about human connections and sophistication. If one utilized this well, walking the world in the future would allow one to forge broad positive karma and succeed in all endeavors.
"Fellow daoist, then I shall take my leave first."
Seeing Su Xie's crisp and decisive manner, Liu Qingqing nodded slightly, smiled, and left the inn with her retinue of servants.
At the same time, Ling Yu, accompanied by several subordinates, brushed past Su Xie abruptly.
He immediately came to a halt, the anger in his heart seeming to dissipate somewhat as a smile crept onto the corner of his mouth: "Su Xie, was it? You'd better not step out of this inn later, otherwise this young master truly can't guarantee what might happen to you."
"Are you threatening me?"
Su Xie's gaze turned cold.
With a playful tone, Ling Yu said, "Heh, this young master said it before, I'm going to make sure you don't see tomorrow's..."
However, before he could finish speaking, Su Xie raised his fist and smashed it ruthlessly into the bridge of his nose.
With a thud!
Caught completely off guard, Ling Yu had his nasal bridge smashed inward, and a mouthful of fresh blood sprayed out.
"Damn it! I'm going to kill you!"
Instantly consumed by fury, Ling Yu manifested the Mountain-Splitting Staff in his hand and unleashed a fierce, tiger-like staff momentum aimed straight at Su Xie's crown.
"The First Level of Xiantian Realm, is it?"
Recognizing his strength at a glance, Su Xie channeled his spiritual energy, casually reached out, and forcefully caught the Mountain-Splitting Staff head-on.