Quinn's hair finally stopped growing. His long hair now reached his waist, so he tied it back with a sash. With a grave expression, he stepped forward to stand before the forge.
Granny Sue frowned and said, "Mute, you were able to refine Cold Iron Essence while still in the Spirit Embryo realm?"
Mute nodded.
Granny Sue spat angrily, "Monster!"
Apothecary, Grandpa Blind, and the others all nodded in agreement, echoing, "Monster! Mute, you're a real freak!"
Mute beamed with pride, grinning from ear to ear.
Cold Iron Essence was far superior to Cold Iron Crystal, being the elite refined from the latter. Cold Iron Crystal could still be melted by the forge's fire for weapon making, but Cold Iron Essence's chill could extinguish the flames outright—making it extremely difficult to refine!
Mute tossed Quinn two pieces of Cold Iron Essence, meaning for him to melt them down, fuse them into one, and then forge them into a weapon!
If Quinn could accomplish this, he would be considered to have passed this trial.
Quinn circulated his yuanqi, transforming it into Vermilion Bird qi. Flames ignited in his palms as he reached into the forge with one hand, while with the other he pumped the bellows, trying to stoke the fire and ignite the charcoal.
But as soon as his palm touched the forge, Quinn felt a biting chill—the flames in his hand nearly went out, and even his Vermilion Bird qi was on the verge of freezing!
Mute was brimming with pride, gesturing repeatedly at Deaf. Deaf said, "You mean just lighting the forge is a test in itself, and takes real skill? It's the subtlety of forging—sheer brute force alone won't ignite it, right?"
Mute grinned from ear to ear, but suddenly, with a whoosh, the flames burst forth in the forge. Quinn had ignited the charcoal with sheer, violent Vermilion Bird qi, suppressing the chill of the Cold Iron Essence.
Deaf glanced at Mute sympathetically. "Mute, if you can't light it with brute force, it just means your Spirit Embryo cultivation isn't up to par. Quinn's got more than enough brute force—he can light it without any trickery."
Mute made a disgruntled gesture. Deaf laughed, "Sneaky! Charcoal fire can't melt Cold Iron, so you were hiding a trick here all along."
Quinn got the fire going and immediately surged his yuanqi, pushing the flames to their limit. But the Cold Iron Essence refused to melt—not even turning red under the heat.
Quinn frowned, then suddenly thrust both hands into the forge, grabbing the two pieces of Cold Iron. He activated the Overlord Three-Core Art, his Spirit Embryo going wild, and the yuanqi outside his Spirit Embryo became a blazing furnace, driving the Vermilion Bird qi to its peak!
The Cold Iron Essence in his hands gradually turned red-hot, and before long, droplets of molten iron began to fall.
Quinn dripped the molten iron into the channel. The two pieces of Cold Iron melted faster and faster, and soon enough, all the Cold Iron was gone, the molten iron merged together.
Deaf glanced at the stunned Mute and asked, "What exactly were you trying to test him on?"
Mute slumped in defeat—his intention had been to test Quinn's forging skill.
Refining Cold Iron Essence required first lighting the forge, but the temperature of the fire alone couldn't melt it. If one's cultivation was strong enough, Vermilion Bird qi could be used to soften the Cold Iron Essence.
Mute had expected Quinn to soften the two pieces of Cold Iron, then hammer them together repeatedly until they fused—then, after a hundred refinements, forge a weapon. But Quinn's yuanqi was so overwhelming, he simply melted both pieces outright!
Mute's goal was to test technique, but Quinn had brute-forced his way past it. Still, he achieved the result—even more simply—leaving Mute speechless.
The clang of iron rang out as Quinn swung the heavy hammer, sparks flying with each blow. Every strike was powered by robust yuanqi, softening with Vermilion Bird qi, cooling with Black Tortoise qi, and repeatedly tempering the metal.
He hammered and refined it countless times until, at last, a pig-slaughtering knife took shape.
Mute inspected it, then nodded listlessly. Quinn had passed this trial.
Quinn finished forging the pig-slaughtering knife, tested its sharpness, and was very satisfied. At last, he had a weapon of his own making.
Grandpa Blind laughed, "Quinn, don't test your blade just yet—my trial still awaits! This time, we'll compete in poetry."
Quinn's face went pale. He stammered, "Grandpa Blind, there's no way I can beat you..."
Deaf yanked out both his iron ears with a pop, signaling he wouldn't listen. Granny Sue and the others wore looks of disdain, protesting, "Grandpa Blind, pick something else!"
Grandpa Blind scratched his head, unable to resist everyone's insistence. "Alright, then let's compete in spear technique. Gather qi into a spear!"
He tossed aside his bamboo cane, spread his fingers wide, and Black Tortoise yuanqi instantly flowed like water—a water-dragon spear appeared in his hand.
Quinn's yuanqi erupted, forming a fire-dragon spear. The two began to circle each other, their spears trembling like venomous dragons ready to pounce from the abyss.
They circled and circled, never stopping, yet the water-dragon spear and fire-dragon spear never touched.
Quinn activated the Divine Firmament Heaven Eye, focusing on Grandpa Blind, searching for any opening—but found none. Though blind, Grandpa Blind left not a single flaw exposed.
"No openings? Then I'll make one!"
After circling for a long time, Quinn suddenly stomped his foot, collapsing the ground into a deep pit and sending ripples through the earth, making Grandpa Blind lose his footing.
Whoosh—
Quinn thrust his fire-dragon spear, but Grandpa Blind merely smiled. His water-dragon spear, though slower, struck first—piercing Quinn's chest before Quinn's own attack could land!
Quinn smiled as water splashed from his chest, forming a whirlpool that blocked Grandpa Blind's spear. Grandpa Blind's water-dragon spear shattered, knocked from his grasp, while Quinn's own spear surged forward—a fire dragon piercing Grandpa Blind's chest.
Grandpa Blind tumbled back, staggering to land. He quickly unsealed his divine treasury to steady himself, then shouted angrily, "That's cheating—using two kinds of yuanqi at once! In terms of technique, you lost. You're just bullying me with your Overlord Body yuanqi!"
Quinn stammered, "Grandpa Blind, should we try again?"
Grandpa Blind's anger turned to laughter. "Isn't an Overlord Body meant for bullying others? That's your true strength. You've passed my trial. Granny Sue, it's your turn."
[Irrelevant system/pagination message. Skip translation.]
Granny Sue looked at Quinn with complicated eyes and said, "Quinn, in my heart, you already passed my trial long ago—when you survived the Three Hundred and Sixty Rooms."
Quinn was taken aback. "Granny Sue?"
"What child doesn't leave home someday?"
Granny Sue said softly, "Everyone grows up and has to go. I can't keep you forever. If all these old fools let you pass, it'd be selfish of me not to..." She slung her basket over her arm, returned to her house, and closed the door.
Quinn stood there in a daze.
Village Chief coughed, snapping Quinn out of his daze. He said, "Quinn, if you pass my trial, you'll be able to leave Oldridge Village, step out of the Great Ruins, and venture into the outside world."
Quinn turned and said, "Please instruct me, Village Chief."
Village Chief smiled slightly. "All of us old fools have taught you the skills to survive in this world. Grandpa Mark gave you strength and dignity; Butcher gave you courage and fearlessness; Deaf taught you art and grace; Crippled Joe taught you how to escape and be cunning; Grandpa Blind taught you to see through illusions to the truth; Apothecary taught you alchemy and how to save lives; Granny Sue gave you wisdom and kindness; Mute Smith taught you adaptability and composure. What I can give you is a ruler, made of conscience, to measure right and wrong, good and evil. Raise your sword."
Quinn drew the Grand Guardian's Sword and held it horizontally before him. The ridge of the blade facing him split the sword into two sides—on each, his reflection appeared.
"A sword has four sides. The side facing you reflects your own heart—one half good, one half evil."
Village Chief said calmly, "The side facing your enemy reflects their conscience—one half good, one half evil. The sword is your ruler, used to measure good and evil, both in yourself and in others. Swordsmanship is weighing your opponent's virtue and your own. Now, I'll teach you the first move of my sword art. Once you learn it, you'll have passed my trial and can leave the village to seek your own path."
Quinn's heart pounded—Village Chief was finally going to teach him sword moves!
Grandpa Mark, Grandpa Blind, and the others were all shaken, turning to look at Village Chief. Granny Sue even opened her door to watch.
For others, this might seem trivial, but to them, Village Chief teaching Quinn his sword art was a momentous event.
Especially Apothecary—he knew the true meaning hidden within Village Chief's sword art!
Village Chief's sword art was more than inheritance—it was responsibility!
To learn Village Chief's sword art was to shoulder the responsibility that even Village Chief himself had never fulfilled!
Apothecary whispered, "Village Chief, do you think he can bear it?"
Village Chief smiled. "Just because I couldn't doesn't mean he can't. The Heavenly Demon Patriarch is old—he has seven years left. I'm old too, will die a few years after him at most. It's time to pass on what should be passed on."
He straightened his spirit and addressed Quinn, "My sword art is called Sword Diagram. The first move is Sword Treading the Rivers and Mountains."