Cohabitation with Sword Spirit-Chapter 228 - 193: You Started This Arms Race First (Double Length)

In the Lu Family Mansion, while a group of high-ranking Elders began their night battle under lamplight, the Shen Garden in the east of the city was also brightly lit. A petite and charming girl was vigorously swinging a heavy hammer, striking a pile of thick metal blocks.

As sparks flew from the metal collision, the Shen Garden seemed to host a grand fireworks display, with dazzling colors filling the entire courtyard.

However, Shen Qingming, standing in the midst of the flames, couldn't appreciate this splendid spectacle at all. She mumbled, sweating profusely, "The semifinals are tomorrow, and I'm still here staying up late forging iron..."

Wang Jiu said, "With your physique now comparable to a Frenzied Giant Ape, staying up for several nights won't affect your actual combat."

"...Don't you have a more suitable metaphor?! Besides, what are you doing exactly? Can't you leave the forging to the artisans, why do I have to do it myself?"

Wang Jiu explained, "This is the equipment you need to use tomorrow; you must forge it personally for the best compatibility."

"Equipment? This huge?!" Shen Qingming looked at the massive iron plate in front of her with shock; it was over one zhang in length and width, and was too large even to serve as a Tower Shield.

Wang Jiu said, "Alright, stop wasting time asking questions you couldn't possibly understand. By tomorrow morning before the competition starts, there are over ten thousand parts that need you to process personally; time is tight."

"Over ten thousand parts?! What exactly are you assembling?! And tomorrow, I'm up against Lu Fangchen, making it this complicated will be seen through in a glance; what meaning does that have?"

Faced with Shen Qingming's barrage of questions, Wang Jiu decided after some calculation and thought to block her out, saving trouble for both sides.

"Wang Jiu! If you dare block me, starting tomorrow, I'll—I'll eat carrots every day!"

Wang Jiu thought for a moment: "Whatever, I don't care."

Shen Qingming nearly swung the hammer onto her own foot in shock: "What?! You're not afraid of carrots anymore?!"

Wang Jiu explained, "I've considered this for a long time, as the invincible Celestial Divine Sword, having such an exploitable flaw is untenable. So, after much effort, I've successfully overcome my fear and dislike of carrots. Now, I fear nothing."

"...How did you do it!?"

"Quite simple, by placing the living creatures of the Myriad Spirits Hall in the central area of the Sword World, and partially merging with the Sword Spirit True Form, you can gain some characteristics of said creatures, such as..."

As he spoke, Wang Jiu had already started the process, bringing a newly bred small animal from the Myriad Spirits Hall to the central area. The Sword Spirit Illusion outside the Sword World quietly sprouted a pair of long rabbit ears on its head...

"Plop! Hahaha, oh my gosh!"

Shen Qingming burst into laughter immediately, and as her breath caught unexpectedly, she predictably slammed the heavy hammer onto her foot.

The strong physique of the Immovable Tyrant Body spared the girl from breaking her foot on the spot, but her embroidered shoes were inevitably crushed, revealing some toes that were supposed to be pristine white, now swollen and red like carrots.

Wang Jiu glanced over, rabbit ears twitching, and then said contentedly, "See, I fear nothing now."

"You, you have time to show off, but first get me some ointment! Is this how you act as my master?! How could you shamelessly claim an IQ of 9?!"

——

Although there were quite a few interruptions during the process, Shen Qingming's extraordinary physical abilities, coupled with Wang Jiu's slave-like close supervision, ensured Shen Qingming's forging work continued uninterrupted.

After a whole night of intense forging, finally, as the morning light shone through the gaps between ancient trees' leaves and onto her face the next day, Shen Qingming completed the forging of this exceptionally intricate and complex equipment.

Looking at the enormous steel creation in the courtyard, the girl was so surprised she couldn't close her mouth: "My gosh, you want me to use this thing in the competition?!"

"Don't worry, against Lu Fangchen, there's nothing better than this." Pausing, Wang Jiu continued, "In theory, with this equipment, no opponent can stop us from winning the championship. If you can master it proficiently, you won't even need me for remote control; you can win the championship on your own strength."

——

Meanwhile, at the Lu Family Mansion, a group of Elders lay sprawled in a gigantic workshop, all exhausted.

33 finely crafted Defense Towers, through overnight effort, were finally completed.

These highly esteemed Great Cultivators of the Lu Family Mansion held no real advantage in such fine craftsmanship work; for identical work, they expended ten to a hundred times the focus than skilled artisans to achieve equivalent efficiency. Theoretically, at least days and nights of continuous work were required to complete 33 finely crafted portable Defense Towers.

If it weren't for the Cyan Cloud tournament's semifinals, if it weren't for Lu Fangchen, the Lu Family Mansion's next-generation heir's request, these Great Cultivators would never lower themselves to engage in this frontline work—in fact, most of them considered themselves diligent and approachable merely to visit the frontline to comfort workers from time to time...

But regardless, the Great Cultivators' work results were undeniable. After Lu Fangchen completed the final inspection, he confidently said, "Thanks to all the uncles and elders for their strong support; now, I feel I have more than a fifty percent chance of winning. And as long as I get through this round, whether facing Qian Ye or Li Wanqing next, I have confidence to fight and win. Brother Feiyu really found an incredible idea, if we finally win the championship, we should definitely give him half the trophy."