Divine Edge Peak.
In the Foundry Academy, intense heat and icy cold coexist, with the sounds of hammering iron reverberating continuously.
He Hongfeng rushed in, flustered, and blurted out:
“Attendant Futu, you must go quickly. Elder Shang Wu said that if she doesn’t see you within one moment, she will come to Divine Edge Peak.”
As the words fell.
The muscular men in the Forging Hall broke out in cold sweat.
It seemed they recalled some unpleasant memories.
They all turned their heads simultaneously towards the giant man not far away.
“Hmm?”
Futu’s face twitched violently.
He loosened his grip, and the Forging Hammer fell to the ground.
“What happened?”
Elder Han He slammed the table and stood up, furious:
“If the attendants of Divine Edge Peak come at my call and leave at my beck and call, and open their mouths demanding to come over, do they think we have no one here!”
A group of burly men lowered their heads, pretending to be busy.
“Um, Futu, you go first.”
“Yes, Elder.”
Futu’s expression changed as he walked out of the Forging Hall.
Han He then asked sternly:
“Attendant He, what’s going on?”
“Futu’s disciple sparred with the newly promoted true disciple…”
He Hongfeng recounted everything that just happened.
Elder Han He was livid when he heard this.
An old disciple challenging a new one; such a shameless act, he could not believe it.
Fine, let them do it, but they haven’t even done it yet.
Now it’s perfect.
Shang Wu, that troublemaker, can stir up trouble even without reason, so now that there is a reason, what can be done!
“By the way, you said Li Mo forced Wang Hao to enter the Internal Breathing Realm?”
“That’s right, actually Wang Hao had been secretly entering the Internal Breathing Realm before, but only for a tiny bit. He suffered a loss in the Great Completion of Six Combinations Fist, which made him extremely angry.”
“It’s not your fault.”
Han He stroked his flower-patterned beard, his eyes flickering.
Great Completion of Six Combinations Fist!
One day to open the meridians!
Just based on these two points, Li Mo, despite not being as good as Ying Bing, is still very close.
The Heavenly Ladder truly does not make mistakes.
That kid’s physique might manifest in martial arts cultivation, hence his progress is so shocking.
Such a promising talent has ended up under Shang Wu’s tutelage.
Learning the art alone would be fine, but if he picks up that crazy woman’s bad habits…
Han He felt a headache coming on.
…
In the Training Hall.
When Futu entered, he saw his disciple trapped in the wall, alive or dead unknown, while Shang Wu sat grandly drinking tea.
He took a deep breath, suppressing his anger:
“Elder Shang, I don’t understand why you injured my disciple like this.”
Shang Wu raised her eyebrows, her voice louder than his:
“He started it!”
She then lifted Li Mo’s arm, pointing at the bruise on his palm:
“If I hadn’t arrived in time, my talented disciple would have been strangled by your disciple.”
Li Mo coughed lightly, trying to pull his hand back.
But he couldn’t.
No, Master, the bruise on my hand was caused by hitting someone else.
If it were any later, it would probably have faded away.
Futu pulled Wang Hao out from the wall with a wave of his hand.
After feeding him an injury-healing pill, he turned back:
“It was just a friendly sparring session, Elder Shang Wu, you’re being too harsh. Perhaps Wang Hao was teaching the new disciple boxing techniques.”
“Spar? And he entered the Internal Breathing Realm during that?”
Shang Wu said, slamming down her teacup in anger:
“Little Mo, what does our sect’s rules say about mutual destruction among disciples.”
“Mutual destruction among disciples can be killed on the spot.”
Li Mo chimed in at the right moment.
“Useless! What good are you!”
Futu angrily glanced at the unconscious Wang Hao.
Bullying a disciple who has only been with the sect for a day, and making him enter the Internal Breathing Realm?
Now it’s perfect, the accusation of mutual destruction has been pinned on us, and we’ll have to swallow our teeth!
In his anger, he subtly glanced at the young man beside Shang Wu.
He knew Wang Hao’s strength, and without entering the Internal Breathing Realm, he should have been able to handle him.
“Then… thank you, Elder Shang, for disciplining my disciple. Goodbye.”
Futu picked up Wang Hao and was about to leave.
But before he could take two steps, he was locked in place, and his hair stood on end.
“You owe me an explanation, Divine Edge Peak.”
Shang Wu spat the tea leaves into the cup, clearly disgusted:
“Give me ten thousand catties of cold iron, a thousand catties of red gold, and ten catties of iron essence. If you miss even one liang, you won’t leave this door.”
Everyone present was astonished.
This was equivalent to the entire output of Divine Edge Peak for ten days.
Even Elder Han He might not be able to produce that much.
Visible to the n*ked eye, Futu’s forehead veins bulged:
“Blatant extortion! Shang Wu, don’t push your luck!”
“So what if I do?”
A scorching aura spread, making it impossible for people to breathe.
Was it an illusion?
Li Mo momentarily thought he saw a lotus flower burning on his beautiful master’s body, blazing and seemingly eternal.
Futu’s momentum paused.
If it were anyone else, he would be confident they wouldn’t dare to act within the sect.
But when Shang Wu went berserk, even the sect leader had to give way.
Li Mo seized the opportunity to mediate:
“Elder Futu is just an attendant of Divine Edge Peak, he really can’t produce so much.”
“My disciple isn’t injured either, so perhaps we could… ask for less compensation?”
Shang Wu snorted coldly:
“It’s true, but what kind of compensation would satisfy you, disciple?”
Li Mo coughed lightly and said: “Bring me pen and ink!”
He wrote swiftly.
In no time, he had written a list.
Futu glanced at it.
Most of the items listed were fine wines that Shang Wu loved, along with various other precious items.
Though it was a significant loss, it wasn’t as outrageous as before.
“Just come to Divine Edge Peak to get it.”
Seeing the teacher and student working together.
Futu’s expression fluctuated, but he ultimately accepted the loss.
“Ah, that’s better. Why didn’t you do this sooner?”
Shang Wu’s imposing demeanor instantly dissipated.
Once Futu left with a cold snort, she happily hugged her precious disciple, burying his head in her chest.
If Li Mo had to describe Shang Wu’s figure at this moment, he would say she was breathtaking.
If he had to guess what Li Mo was thinking…
He was thinking, no wonder the girlfriends he had in his previous life suddenly patted his thigh so hard…
“Not bad, my disciple has already learned three-tenths of my tricks.”
“Master, can you share some with me?”
Li Mo shyly requested his share.
—
“Uh?” Shang Wu immediately became alert, looking at her precious disciple differently.
“19.”
The beauty pointed with her finger.
“Master, you only want this little?”
“One-tenth is yours, nine-tenths is mine.”
Ke Mo helplessly said: “Actually, I just want some exotic meat to cook…”
“Cooking meat?”
Shang Wu’s eyes lit up: “You can cook?”
“Of course, in Ziyang Mansion, I’m the best.”
With modern seasonings, he was confident!
He barely finished speaking when he felt himself being lifted.
Then, the surroundings began to blur and rapidly recede.
When Ke Mo almost couldn’t hold it anymore, he finally felt solid ground beneath his feet.
Where am I?
Hearing the sound of iron clanging, Little Ke looked around dazedly.
He saw a huge cave, with faint cold light visible inside.
On both sides of the cave, there were two rivers, one extremely hot and the other bone-chillingly cold, each diverted to different courtyards through channels.
A group of blacksmiths were laboring in those courtyards.
“This is… the Divine Edge Cave, we’ve had it since before Qingyuan Sect was founded.”
Shang Wu, in a good mood, explained to her naive disciple:
“There are heaps of broken copper and rusty iron in there. When I killed a killer from Misty Rain Tower, his sword was thrown in. According to Elder Han He, it was used to nourish the sharpness of weapons.”
Weapon sharpening?
Ke Mo’s heart stirred.
So, this Divine Edge Cave is a place to practice extreme weapon use?
“Hmph, those aren’t broken copper and rusty iron. Shang Wu, don’t disrespect my seniors of Divine Edge Peak!”
Elder Han He crossed his arms, visibly annoyed.
Shang Wu didn’t bother arguing, extending her hand:
“Where’s the stuff?”
“Hmph, Futu!”
As she spoke, Futu dragged a cart out.
Ke Mo guessed that this must be the stuff that Attendant Futu procured from Divine Edge Peak, explaining why it was ready so quickly.
The things were what his master instructed him to fetch.
It seemed they had planned this for a long time, choosing items they could afford to bring.
Shang Wu narrowed her eyes, smiling like a cunning fox who had succeeded in stealing something.
“Old Ghost Han He, it’s rare for you to be so straightforward. Fine, let’s forget about it.”
[Congratulations, Host, you successfully invested by acting as a accomplice to Shang Wu, completing a blackmail.]
[Investment feedback: Three jars of Icefire Wine.]
[Investment feedback: Two bottles of Six Pattern Tranquilizing Pills.]
[Investment feedback: Ten catties of Iron Essence.]
…
[Icefire Wine: Has the effect of calming the mind, can suppress distracting thoughts to some extent. Each bottle lasts for two hours, and no more than one should be taken per day. Overconsumption can lead to a thinning of emotions, losing one’s humanity.]
[Iron Essence: One part of iron essence can make ordinary weapons capable of cutting hair with a single strand. It is essential material for forging divine weapons.]
Little Ke was also very happy.
He didn’t expect helping his master extort money would count as an investment.
What a big win.
While it may not be the most rewarding reward he’s received, it is certainly the most generous.
The value of the rewards far exceeds what his master managed to plunder.
“Hmph, I won’t lose in both morale and substance.”
“I hope when you, Shang Wu, lose, you won’t try to wriggle out of it.”
Elder Han He snorted.
He was talking about the bet where they would compete using their disciples.
The stakes were much higher than a mere cart of goods; in fact, they couldn’t be measured in gold and silver.
“Then, I’ll give you a chance… to lose.”
Shang Wu gave a thumbs-up and turned away.
Ke Mo: “…”
Where does your confidence come from, Master?
If memory serves, Murong Xiao, who carries the body of Ming Jiao, is considered a genius in Ziyang Mansion, appearing once every ten years.
Without Ying Bing, Murong Xiao would undoubtedly be the top disciple of this generation.
Elder Han He’s confidence likely stems from the half-demon bloodline.
The characteristic of a half-demon is a high starting point.
“Hmph, my disciple, though lacking, has reached the fifth pulse in the bl**d Qi Realm and can already descend to the second level of the Divine Edge Cave.”
“Embarrassing, embarrassing, just slightly better than I was when I was younger.”
Elder Han He sipped his tea casually.
Shang Wu was surprised: “He’s only in the fifth pulse of the bl**d Qi Realm and you’re sending him to train in the Divine Edge Cave?”
Elder Han He revealed a mysterious smile: “I have my own plans, no need for you to worry.”
His disciple, possessing a half-demon bloodline and a physique inclined toward the powerful physicality of dragons, trained in external fortification techniques under his guidance, fully utilizing his strengths.
For instance, he could lift a ten-thousand-jin boulder with just his bare hands.
Perhaps Ke Mo will go far, but so what?
The Nine Peaks Martial Arts Competition is just around the corner.
In the short term, he will never surpass Murong Xiao.
“Hmph, it’s just descending the Divine Edge Cave…”
Shang Wu pouted, ultimately not saying ‘my disciple can do it’ out loud.
The weapons inside the cave are all tools of killing.
Individually, they may not seem like much, but if gathered in a specific pattern, they can harm from a distance.
Moreover, some of these weapons have killed countless people and carry astonishing killing intent, enough to terrify the heart.
Descending into it is a test of both body and mind.
Even she couldn’t reach the deepest levels of the Divine Edge Cave.
“Elder Han He, may outsiders enter the Divine Edge Cave?”
“Hmm?”
Elder Han He paused in the middle of drinking tea.
Shang Wu subtly signaled her disciple with her eyes.
Naive disciple, we don’t need to fight over everything…
Han He’s gaze swept over:
“Anyone can enter, but I advise you to think twice.”
Apart from Murong Xiao, all the other disciples in the cave are at the Internal Breathing Realm or above.
The former because of their innate strong bodies, the latter because they can use Internal Breathing to protect themselves.
“I’ll start from the outer perimeter. If it doesn’t work, I won’t force it.”
Ke Mo’s eyes burned with determination as he spoke to both of them.
Han He shook his head inwardly.
No wonder he clashed with others as soon as he entered the Training Hall.
With just a bit of progress in martial arts, he became arrogant and wanted to compete with everyone.
This mindset needed to be tempered.
“Go ahead, but you’re responsible for your own safety. Don’t blame me if anything happens.”
“Thank you.”
Ke Mo bowed, then looked at his own master.
Shang Wu squinted her eyes in thought, taking out a small bell from her pocket:
“If you can’t hold on, shake it twice.”
This is a twin-bell.
When one bell is shaken forcefully, the other bell will ring.
As long as they are not separated by more than a thousand li, it will work.
Our Elder Shang Wu may seem carefree, but she doesn’t want her precious disciple to get hurt.
“Thank you, Master.”
Ke Mo put away the bell.
Then he walked to the entrance of the Divine Edge Cave.
