Chapter 854: The Sword

Chapter 854: The Sword

Liu Shuqin learned some information from other Demon Practitioners: this craftsman’s surname is Jia, and he is skilled in forging all kinds of weapons, crafting nothing but exquisite ones.

However, Master Jia has a peculiar personality; he chooses whom to forge weapons for based on the individual, not on payment. No amount of money would sway him.

Moreover, there’s no need to burden him with excessive requests. He has an eye for people and can tell exactly what kind of weapon is needed just by looking. In fact, if you present too many demands, he might take a dislike to you.

The moment he met Liu Shuqin, he was ready to forge her a Sharp Sword and wouldn’t even charge her for it.

He knew precisely what type of weapon to forge; Liu Shuqin merely mentioned wanting a sword suitable for a Demon Practitioner without further elaboration.

Unlike Lin Nuo, Liu Shuqin wasn’t one to take advantage of others. Even though there was no fee, she insisted on giving Master Jia something.

Of course, Master Jia wouldn’t accept it—it’s just his personal style. No matter how much Liu Shuqin insisted, he wouldn’t take it.

So, she figured she’d have to keep it for now and, when the Demon Sword was finished, secretly leave the reward behind before slipping away.

Forging a sword isn’t done in the blink of an eye; it takes time. So, Liu Shuqin returned home, waiting for news without needing to check in person.

Before she knew it, two days had passed. Although Liu Shuqin had made a few attempts to peek in, the door was always closed, making it impossible to find the master craftsman.

So, whether her sword was ready or not remained a mystery—unknown for the time being.

All she could do was keep waiting and return home.

She felt anxious. What if the master decided she wasn’t suitable and refused to forge her sword?

After all, she hadn’t paid any fees; it seemed like the master was leading her on, and there was nothing she could do.

Just wait.

Liu Shuqin went back, preparing for the wait by studying Demon Power and the Purification Technique—two methods incredibly important to her.

Practicing Demon Power would enhance her abilities, allowing her to protect herself and her faction.

As for the Purification Technique, the immediate goal was to thoroughly cleanse the violent threats posed by Demon Beasts and then research methods to help Demon Practitioners revert from their demonic state.

She had come here with a purpose, hopeful. Although she was a Demon Practitioner, she could find her way back to righteousness and lead Lin Nuo on the same path.

She must do this.

On the third day, someone came to deliver the sword, bringing it to her temporary residence.

It was a young man carrying a box that contained the forged Demon Sword, which he presented to Liu Shuqin.

“Miss Liu, sorry to keep you waiting. Master Jia has finished forging your sword; please take a look.”

The young man handed her the long box, and Liu Shuqin accepted it.

“Thank you, but I still insist on giving you something for the forging.”

“No need; the master doesn’t accept payments, and I can’t either. Just see if you’re satisfied.”

“Hm, alright.”

Liu Shuqin nodded with a smile, opening the box to reveal a stunning dark purple Demon Sword.

With a powerful dragon design, a razor-sharp blade, and an emanating aura of Demon Qi, it radiated strength.

Liu Shuqin grasped its hilt; the sword felt light yet powerful, fitting perfectly in her hand.

Furthermore, as she held the Demon Sword, she felt a surge of energy flowing through her—it truly felt right.

Wait a minute.

This sword…

Liu Shuqin observed it closely, suddenly feeling an odd familiarity.

It couldn’t be…

A scene flashed in her mind, Lin Nuo facing an army, that sharp Demon Sword burying countless soldiers in battle—a terrifying sight.

That moment was truly a nightmare for Liu Shuqin; after all, witnessing a righteous practitioner like Lin Nuo slaughtering soldiers and generals was unsettling, making it hard for her to accept.

But now she could understand; after all, he was a demon under the wicked Demon Ruler, killing and burning was his norm.

Yet now, that very sword was in her hands.

Could this be fate?

Because in her past life, she hadn’t existed at this time, nor would she have been a Demon Practitioner.

But everything had changed; history was rewritten, so everything else could change too.

This sword was excellent—it felt compatible with her, and it concealed immense power.

Master Jia truly had exceptional skill to craft such a sword! With it, she could learn more about Lin Nuo.

“Master’s craftsmanship is superb; I’m very satisfied with this sword. Thank you all.”

Liu Shuqin slightly bowed, and the young man smiled back, returning the gesture.

“Then I won’t disturb you any further.”

The young man quickly left, leaving Liu Shuqin alone.

She swung the Demon Sword, unleashing a wave of Demon Qi that swept around her with impressive force.

Truly extraordinary.

She felt this sword matched her perfectly; she had to admit it was the best sword she had ever encountered, far superior to the work of any other craftsman.

“This is the sword my Junior Martial Brother used…?”

Liu Shuqin murmured, then she returned the sword to its sheath.

“Perhaps if my Junior Martial Brother didn’t possess this sword, things might turn out better for him…”

She had heard that a sword could influence its wielder; maybe Lin Nuo had been affected by it, and that’s why his character had changed.

Could she handle it without being influenced?

It was worth a try; before purifying her Junior Martial Brother, she should be able to control this Demon Sword.

She definitely could.

Liu Shuqin departed, returning to her base.

…

Meanwhile, Lin Nuo had temporarily shaken off Luo Xiaoxue and Su Kexin.

Luo Xiaoxue had her troops and matters to attend to, so she didn’t follow him any longer.

As for Su Kexin, he found a spot to drop her off; he couldn’t let her follow along, especially since she now knew where to grind for experience—better to ditch her.

Of course, he couldn’t leave her in danger; that would mean putting her in harm’s way while giving her a chance to gain experience.

At this point, Su Kexin remained inscrutable; while he had succeeded in playing mind games with her before, it wasn’t entirely conclusive. He had poked her on several occasions, but now it was different—he barely escaped her grasp upon returning to reality.

Remembering it still sent chills down his spine.

Now, he possessed two swords: the “Demon Sword” and the Phoenix Sword.

Truth be told, he wasn’t fond of carrying two swords out; he was considering leaving the Phoenix Sword behind.

But if he left the Phoenix Sword behind, it could end up back in Su Kexin’s hands—such a bizarre situation. It was some kind of metaphysical issue; Su Kexin had this strange ability to access the Phoenix Sword at will.

So should he carry both?

Practice dual-wielding?

Villainous dual-wielding might be a bit underwhelming. A mighty villain typically wielded one sword to vanquish foes.

Could he merge them like Su Kexin did? It would make them easier to handle.

Though unsure how to do so, he stacked them together.

And to his surprise, something strange occurred—they fused!