Chapter 291: Chapter 291: Setting up the Arena

Xu Yunfan’s gaze swept over a bronze mace covered in cracks in a corner. He suddenly felt the Red Fire Dragon-Swallowing Mace in his marrow sea tremble slightly. ’The weapons here still retain the battle intent of their former masters!’

"I hear you received a direct order from the Master in the hall, Junior Brother?"

Chu Cangming casually lifted a Profound Iron Heavy Sword, its blade hissing as it cut through the air. "Anything interesting to share?"

Pretending not to notice the probing in Chu Cangming’s tone, Xu Yunfan casually picked up a pair of Meteorite Iron Hammers. "The Sect Leader has established the Thirty-Six Linked Rings. They begin in three days, and I am to be the arena master."

As the hammer heads collided, sparks erupted, spraying through the air like a fountain.

Xu Yunfan couldn’t help but marvel. ’Fine weapons!’

Even among Treasure Artifacts, this pair of hammers was a rare, top-quality set.

The words had barely left his lips when Chu Cangming’s knuckles tightened, and with a sharp ring, the Profound Iron Sword plunged three inches into the ground.

"I see."

He chuckled softly, a dark glint in his eyes. "Blades have no eyes in the ring, Junior Brother. You’d best be careful."

Xu Yunfan slowly traced the star-like patterns on the hammer’s handle. He suddenly turned his head to look directly at Chu Cangming, a crimson fire seeming to swirl in his eyes. "You seem quite eager for me to step into that ring, Senior Brother."

At this, Chu Cangming smirked, the curve of his lips as sharp as an unsheathed blade.

He raised a hand and flicked a crack on a nearby Broken Sword. The blade instantly let out a mournful hum. Chu Cangming closed his eyes, listening to the faded ring, then shook his head slightly, his expression one of pity for the sword.

"The Taoist Sect preaches ’tranquility and non-action,’ but in truth, the law of the jungle is its only iron rule."

"Sixty years ago, during the upheaval in Qingwei Hall, our Master single-handedly fought the thirty-six Peak Leaders. Nineteen of them perished utterly via Soldier Resolution, their cultivation wiped out. Eleven had their Blood Qi depleted, their foundations ruined. Those who survived are now the sentinels of their respective peaks, and our Master became the Daoist Sect Leader."

Xu Yunfan’s brow twitched. ’So, something incredible really did happen in the Taoist Sect back then. Bi Yuan alone had managed to suppress a host of proud, arrogant sect disciples into silence.’

Chu Cangming flicked his sleeve and strode toward the depths of the cave, his voice drifting like smoke. "I’m merely curious... whether my junior brother’s hammers can shatter the foolish delusions of certain people. They’ve been biding their time, you know. For a full sixty years."

"Senior Brother..."

Xu Yunfan suddenly spoke up.

Chu Cangming turned back at the sound, only to see Xu Yunfan hoist the Red Fire Dragon-Swallowing Mace on his back and flash a grin, revealing teeth as perfect as white jade.

"I’m using a mace now."

’His Hammer Technique was already feeling a bit outdated. He hadn’t seen any other hammer users in the Taoist Sect, so obtaining a Mace Technique was already a considerable feat. If worse came to worst, he’d just have to switch to practicing the sword or spear.’

The corner of Chu Cangming’s eye twitched violently. ’He had worked so hard to set the mood, painstakingly crafting a grim and imposing atmosphere, only for this little punk to shatter it all with the most unsophisticated form of bragging!’

In the end, Xu Yunfan chose a Profound Iron Sword.

It was a Heavy Sword of Treasure Level quality. The blade was three-and-a-half fingers wide, with faint star-like patterns along its edge. The hilt was long enough for a comfortable two-handed grip, and the blade itself was long enough to be called a horse-slaying sword.

Seeing his choice, Chu Cangming explained, "This sword is called ’Chenyue.’ Even among the ranks of Treasure Artifacts, it is considered superior..."

As Chu Cangming was speaking, Xu Yunfan casually performed a flourish with the sword, only to find with some distaste that its momentum felt thirty percent more sluggish than his Mace Technique.

’After all, he hadn’t even begun to learn the Mountain-Slaying Sword technique. These past days, he had been focused entirely on the Yijing Marrow Cleansing Skill. He was waiting until he entered the stage of Refining the Internal Organs. Then, he could return to his origins and reforge his body, cultivating the Martial Arts Nine Realms all over again. He could use the Nine Luminaries Swallowing Qi Technique to reshape his Blood Qi in the Flesh Refining Realm, forging a foundation of exceptionally perfect and vigorous Blood Qi.’

As they walked out of Soldier Sword Peak, twilight clouds gathered in the sky. Chu Cangming suddenly spoke. "Three days from now, at 7:00 AM, I will be waiting for you at the Martial Arts Arena on Profound Sky Peak, Junior Brother."

With that, he raised a hand and patted Xu Yunfan’s shoulder. A Qi Force, secretly channeled from the Golden Locking Jade Technique, was released from his palm, only to be nullified by the crimson glow that automatically flared from the Dragon Scale Armor.

Xu Yunfan, acting as if he hadn’t noticed a thing, cupped his hands. "I won’t keep you waiting, Senior Brother."

As he turned, he deliberately let the Heavy Sword scrape against the stone steps, sending a puff of dust drifting right toward the hem of Chu Cangming’s robes.

Their gazes met through the dust, and a smile spread across Chu Cangming’s face.

"I’ll be waiting for your good news, then."

Xu Yunfan waved a hand and walked off, humming a blacksmithing tune from the Celestial Craft Cave.

Chu Cangming lifted the hand he had just lowered, staring at a thin line of blood that had appeared on his palm. He then narrowed his eyes, scrutinizing the corner of dark-gold material occasionally visible beneath Xu Yunfan’s robes.

’Divine Armor...’

Chu Cangming’s fingers clenched until his knuckles turned white. To this day, he himself possessed only a single Divine Weapon.

The moment he pushed open the bamboo gate to his courtyard, two figures darted out from under a wisteria trellis.

Fang Mushan slammed his fan-sized palm on the stone table, making it tremble. "You’ve done it now, kid! The whole Taoist Sect is buzzing about how you ate three Medicine Peaks bare in just twenty days!"

"We were floored for the longest time when we heard you’d become the Sect Leader’s second True Inheritor. But seeing you today, I didn’t expect your skills to have deepened so much..."

As Li Haomiao spoke, his eyes were fixed on the new Heavy Sword at Xu Yunfan’s waist. He suddenly drew his own blade to compare and ended up looking rather deflated.

’Damn it all, the man’s sword is of a higher quality than I am.’

"It’s a good sword."

Xu Yunfan flicked the blade, making it ring. "The person using it, though, is lacking."

Li Haomiao flushed with shame and anger, but since Xu Yunfan had already reached the Washing Marrow stage while he was still struggling at the start of the Flesh Refining Realm, all he could do was bluster that the game wasn’t over yet, and neither of their destinies were sealed.

Seeing that Xu Yunfan was alright, Li Haomiao and Fang Mushan relaxed.

Li Haomiao’s smile faded, his expression turning serious. "That tournament in three days... don’t you dare stumble. Those guys in the Taoist Sect are just itching to see you make a fool of yourself. Even Zhao Wujiu from Profound Sky Peak has announced that he wants to ’test the mettle of the Celestial Craft Cave’."

His fists clenched with a loud CRACK, but then he dejectedly loosened them. ’With his cultivation barely at the start of the Flesh Refining Realm, he wasn’t even qualified to serve as a stepping stone. He wanted to give Xu Yunfan some elixirs and resources, but the cost of a single one of his friend’s meals was enough for him to live lavishly for a month.’

Fang Mushan clapped Xu Yunfan on the shoulder, but it felt like striking solid Profound Iron, the impact making his palm go numb.

He was secretly alarmed, but said aloud, "With that Red Fire Dragon-Swallowing Mace of yours, try not to smash the tournament ring to pieces."

With that, he started dragging Li Haomiao toward the gate. "Let’s go, let’s go! If we linger any longer, a certain someone who can’t get his Mace Technique right might decide to test it out on us."

Just as the bamboo gate was closing, Li Haomiao suddenly turned back. "Hey! I heard Chu Cangming is going to be in the tournament too..."

A glint flashed in Xu Yunfan’s eyes. He was surprised; this was the first he was hearing of it.

"I understand. I’ll be careful."

His voice died away. Xu Yunfan was already standing on a bluestone slab in the courtyard, holding the Heavy Sword horizontally as if it were his mace. Where the tip pointed, an old plum tree thirty feet away snapped and fell, untouched by any wind.

Xu Yunfan looked up. The winter chill seemed to have arrived a little earlier this year.

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「Three days later.」

Profound Sky Peak. The first snow of the year.

A bitter mountain wind swept flurries of snow across the Martial Arts Arena, where a large crowd had already gathered below the ring.

Aside from those on guard duty, most of the disciples from the Thirty-Six Peaks were gathered there. Their Profound Daoist Robes were a tide of dark color across the stone steps, and their hushed whispers froze the moment they saw Xu Yunfan arrive, treading through the snow.