“The Big Smithing Competition?”
Before Master Kurong could say a word, Tiandao the Venerable One beat him to it. “Brother Yu, for generations, Mount Wuzhi has been assigning people to compete in the Big Smithing Competitions.” He paused for a while before he added, “Martial Uncle hasn’t been managing the sect for a long time, so you can communicate directly with me regarding this matter.”
The old macaque scoffed. “Tiandao, you’re becoming more overbearing—you’re even calling the shots for Kurong now?”
Nonetheless, Master Kurong was not mad at all. He smiled faintly and asked, “Old Macaque, throughout this century, when has Tiandao not called the shots for me?”
The old macaque was slightly stunned. When it thought carefully, it realized that that was really the case. It cleared its throat and responded rather unnaturally, “Kurong, that was because you were nearing the end and was cultivating in isolation. Now, it’s different because you finally left the mountain?”
Master Kurong could not help but laugh. “So what if I left the mountain? Is there a difference from before?”
The old macaque and the others looked at each other and were speechless.
‘How did Kurong cultivate before this? Did he become too obsessed?
‘Master Kurong was already known for being an unsociable person a century ago, but he wasn’t like this.’
Yuqi the Venerable One furrowed his eyebrows. “Tiandao, Master Ou’s smithing art has far surpassed that of his peers. Not to mention Spiritualists, even…” He glanced at Master Kurong half-intentionally and continued, “Venerable Blacksmiths might not be able to outdo him.”
Tiandao the Venerable One could not help but laugh. “Brother Yu, I was on Mount Wuzhi, but I also heard about Master Ou refining flying carpets. Indeed, a Spiritualist that can refine flying carpets is one of a kind, but flying carpets don’t represent smithing art.”
Ou Yangming listened quietly on the side. Although Tiandao the Venerable One was somewhat belittling him, even he had to admit that it was reasonable.
Smithing art was a broad and profound field, where the refinement of flying carpets was only one of the branches. Ou Yangming could outperform other people in terms of refining flying carpets, but he would unlikely be able to convince everyone with flying carpets only.
Yuqi the Venerable One scoffed. “Brother Tiandao, do you have an opinion of Master Ou?”
“Master Ou provided an Eternal Pill for Mount Wuzhi and prolonged Martial Uncle Kurong’s life. I can’t thank him enough, so why would I have an opinion of him?” Tiandao the Venerable One answered without any hesitation. He expressed sternly, “It’s not your first time knowing me, so I’m sure you know me well. I’m only talking about this matter objectively, and I don’t have selfish motives at all.”
Yuqi the Venerable One frowned. If anyone else had said that, he would have refuted the person. Nevertheless, as said by Tiandao the Venerable One himself, he was a person that despised evil as one did one’s enemy and was known for being fair and strict. All in all, Tiandao the Venerable One was as good as his words, and he never allowed his private feelings to outweigh his public duty. If not, Master Kurong would not have trusted him so much.
At the very least, no other Venerable One more reassuring than him in this aspect.
The 10,000 Beasts Venerable One stood with its hands behind its back, and it closed its eyes without interrupting. This was the Humans’ matter, after all. It was true that the Venerable One had a close relationship with the Beast King Sect, but there would only be an opposite effect if it got involved recklessly.
Tiandao the Venerable One turned to look at Ou Yangming. “Master Ou, you were a reputable blacksmith in the lower realm indeed, but since you’ve come to the Spiritual Realm, you must follow the rules here. I’m only speaking fairly, so please don’t be offended.”
Ou Yangming grinned. “Tiandao the Venerable One, you overstated. Given that you can guarantee fairness, it’s already the biggest form of respect for blacksmiths like me.”
He was being sincere and did not exaggerate it.
A blacksmith was also a profession where one’s capabilities spoke for one, but one would have engagements wherever there were people. Unless one possessed superior or even irreplaceable abilities, it would be wishful thinking for a blacksmith from the lower realm to guarantee fair play.
Tiandao the Venerable One nodded and was relieved.
Indeed, he did not have selfish motives when he rejected Yuqi the Venerable One’s suggestion.
The Big Smithing Competition was not a small matter, but something important that would affect the reputations of Danzhou and Zhangzhou. Regardless of Ou Yangming’s fame, the favors that he had given Mount Wuzhi, and how much Tiandao the Venerable One could benefit from him in the future, the Venerable One would not give in on this matter.
Seeing was believing—Tiandao the Venerable One only believed his eyes.
Even so, no matter how fairly he was going to manage the matter, he did not want to offend Ou Yangming.
After all, he needed an Eternal Pill too!
Yuqi the Venerable One suddenly beamed. “Brother Tiandao, are you saying that if Master Ou’s smithing art is acknowledged by everyone, he can then represent Danzhou in the big competition?”
Tiandao the Venerable One was dumbfounded, and he looked at Yuqi the Venerable One in confusion. He had made himself clear, where he would not show favoritism for an Eternal Pill, but Yuqi the Venerable One was still being so persistent. ‘Is Ou Yangming’s level of attainment in smithing really the best in the Beast King Sect?’
He replied to Yuqi the Venerable One carefully after some thought, “It’ll be an honor to represent Danzhou, but it’ll also be a responsibility. If Master Ou can outshine others, I’ll support him, of course.”
Yuqi the Venerable One chuckled. “Outshine others? That’ll depend on who you compare him with.” He nodded at Master Kurong and continued, “It’ll be hard to say if you compare him with Master Kurong, but if you compare him with other Spiritualists, hehe…” He let out a hollow laugh. Even though he did not finish his sentence, he made himself clear.
Before this, he had asked Peng Yanbing carefully but the answer that he received was that the sect elder felt inferior to the young fellow.
Given that the Beast King Sect’s chief blacksmith was also convinced, Yuqi the Venerable One had strong confidence in Ou Yangming.
Tiandao the Venerable One’s eyes flickered. He stared at Ou Yangming as though he wanted to perceive the truth.
Yuqi the Venerable One suddenly turned his wrist and retrieved a longsword. “Tiandao, you’re considered knowledgeable, so why don’t you take a look at this equipment?”
He shook his wrist to toss the longsword over to Tiandao the Venerable One.
Tiandao the Venerable One was not a blacksmith, but Master Kurong, who was as dear to him as his father and master, was publicly acknowledged as the greatest smithing master in Danzhou. Under the master’s influence, the Venerable One was well-experienced in appraising pieces of equipment.
He was surprised when he brushed his hand gently across the longsword. Following that, a white light flickered from his palm.
Due to the Appraisal Light, the longsword’s properties were displayed to him.
“This—a Self-recovery attribute?” Tiandao the Venerable One’s eyes lit up. “This longsword… No, did Master Ou attach this attribute to it?”
Danzhou was massive, but there were not many top-notch powerhouses. In particular, these Venerable Ones from the Humans’ Nine Great Sects were the most familiar with each other.
Tiandao the Venerable One had seen Yuqi the Venerable One use this powerful ice-mastery longsword, but he was certain that the Self-recovery attribute did not exist before this.
Since Yuqi the Venerable One was proudly showing the longsword at this moment, there could only be one possibility—Master Ou was the one that attached the extremely rare Unique Attribute to it.
It was definitely not easy to attach an attribute.
If one wanted to attach a new attribute without destroying the equipment’s overall structure nor affecting the other attributes, it would be much more difficult than smithing a piece of equipment with that attribute from scratch.
This was similar to how doodling on a piece of white paper was much easier than revising a completed piece of work.
The reason being there was too little space left on finished work, where a slight mistake would increase the chances of one failing to achieve the changes that one set out to do.
Yuqi the Venerable One nodded proudly. At this point, he had completely regarded Ou Yangming as a part of the Beast King Sect.
Therefore, the more Ou Yangming was acknowledged, the happier he would be.
Tiandao the Venerable One looked deeply at Ou Yangming with indescribable lusters in his eyes. The young fellow’s skill was unbelievably remarkable for being able to attach a new attribute to a nearly complete piece of equipment.
He dared not consider Ou Yangming’s smithing art as the best in Danzhou, but he was sure that the young fellow was at least qualified to be one of those candidates.
Master Kurong suddenly reached out and said, “Let me take a look at it.”
His abilities were unpredictable but perhaps because he cultivated martial arts, he always had a weak presence.
Having said that, nobody including the Venerable Ones dared to ignore his presence.
Tiandao the Venerable One immediately handed the master the longsword with respect. At this moment, even Yuqi the Venerable One and the old macaque could not help but feel nervous.
Master Kurong was acknowledged as the greatest blacksmith in Danzhou so without his recognition, Ou Yangming would not be able to represent Danzhou in the competition at all.
After a brief moment, Master Kurong nodded and commented, “Not bad—you’re quite amazing to be able to achieve such a well-conceived concept.”
Yuqi the Venerable One and the others could not help but sigh breaths of relief and smiled gladly.
Who knew, Master Kurong added, “But if you only have this to show, you’re still not qualified to represent Danzhou.” He stared at Ou Yangming and asked, “Do you have anything else?”
Ou Yangming hesitated for a while before he answered, “I recently smithed a suit that can release mightier powers. Please give me some pointers, senior.”
When he retrieved the Star Trace Suit from his interspatial bag and wanted to pass it to Master Kurong, the master waved his hand and laughed. “Since it’s a suit, its true powers can only be seen in a fight. Since you refined it, and you’re also a cultivator, why don’t you wear it and have a battle with someone.”
Yuqi the Venerable One and the others were struck dumb at first, but their eyes flickered as they recalled something, so they decided to keep quiet.
Ou Yangming was convinced. He said with a smile, “Okay, please appoint someone, senior.”
Master Kurong glanced at Tiandao the Venerable One and instructed him, “You arrange it.”
“Yes.” Tiandao the Venerable One pondered for a brief moment and had someone in his mind.
