Chapter 297: Carefree Sword
Translator: Ninetales Editor: DarkGem
‘Carefree?’
Qin Mu’s heart stirred slightly, but when he took a look at the markings on the sword again, he could no longer see the word carefree. It was as if the markings that were flowing earlier had been just a hallucination on his part. However, it wasn’t a hallucination, the word carefree had really appeared!
‘This sword that’s called Carefree, is it related to Carefree Village?’
He sunk into deep thoughts. Could Carefree Sword have come from Carefree Village?
However, how did it become a broken sword?
Why did this broken sword return back to normal when it met that chunk of unknown metal?
All of this seemed to be destined by fate. It was destined that the broken Carefree Sword would land in the hands of Rolan’s Golden Palace and destined that Heavenly Saint Cult would get hold of that chunk of metal. It was destined that Qin Mu would steal the broken sword from Rolan’s Golden Palace and destined that he would put it near that metal. It was destined for Carefree Sword to return back to normal!
When there’s too much coincidence, it cannot be a coincidence anymore. Instead, there has to be a kind of power that could have facilitated this kind of coincidence.
“Sister Xiang, that chunk of metal is from outer space? When did it arrive?” Qin Mu asked.
Si Yunxiang’s mouth was agape, and she couldn’t come back to her senses after being astonished by the turn of events for a time. When she calmed down though, she rolled her eyes at him.
“It’s from outer space but I’m not clear on when it had exactly arrived, I will have to get my great grandma to check it out. Don’t call me Sister Xiang. When you said it so affectionately, I feel like you are using sweet speech and honeyed words while thinking of getting rid of me in your heart.”
Qin Mu mumbled, “In that case could Saintess help me check the origin of this chunk of metal.”
Si Yunxiang took out her mirror and spun it two rounds. A mirror appeared in the mirror and the great grandma of Si Family appeared on the other side. Si Yunxiang made inquiries and the great grandma of Si Family was astonished. “Something like that actually happened? Give me a moment, let me check. Such a divine metal should have been recorded.”
Not long later, the great grandma of Si Family came back with a book and said, “That divine metal came from outer space. It appeared sixteen years ago. The record states that on the winter sixteen years ago, a divine light streaked across the sky and descended into Ghost Valley. Disciples of the cult went forth to investigate and found dozens of casualties. They picked up this chunk of divine metal there and offered it up to the treasure vault.”
“Sixteen years ago?”
Qin Mu was slightly stunned. Since the time he had been picked up by Granny Si, fifteen years had passed, while this chunk of divine metal that repaired the broken sword had appeared in the winter sixteen years ago. This was very close to when he was picked up.
“In that case, were there any people from Rolan’s Golden Palace in the surroundings then?” Qin Mu asked hurriedly.
The great grandma of Si Family was bewildered and looked at him while asking, “How did Cult Master know this? Ghost Valley is located at the back of the Duck Tongue Zone that’s in front of Qingmen Pass. Back then, the disciples of our sacred cult were guarding Qingmen Pass when the divine light flew down.
“The disciples of our sacred cult saw the light and immediately entered Duck Tongue Zone. It borders Barbarian Di Empire which had great shamans and shaman kings from Rolan’s Golden Palace on guard, so they also went forth to investigate. The sacred cult lost a hall master and dozens of divine arts practitioners while Rolan’s Golden Palace also lost a great deal of people. I’ve heard that the situation was quite bitter.
“They suffered disastrous damage and had no choice but to retreat from Ghost Valley. The great shamans and shaman kings of Rolan’s Golden Palace seemed to have gotten a broken sword…”
Qin Mu’s heart was stirred. So that was it!
The broken sword and divine metal were both from sixteen years ago. Heavenly Devil Cult got the divine metal while Rolan’s Golden Palace got the broken sword. They were both actually one once, so when these two treasures were put together, they became complete!
Great Ruins’ Ghost Valley!
‘I must definitely go there and have a look!’ he thought to himself.
The great grandma of Si Family said, “The Ghost Valley in Duck Tongue Zone is very treacherous. The sacred cult had gone to search it a few more times but the place was ridden with dangers so they retreated without heading in deeper.”
Qin Mu thanked the old woman. Even though Si Yunxiang was the saintess, the mistress of Si Family, this old woman, was the one that was actually in charge of Si Family. She had an extremely high position in Heavenly Devil Cult, having once been a saintess, before giving up her position to Granny Si.
Si Yunxiang put away her bronze mirror and took a glance at the sword in his hand. “Great Cult Master, your sword…”
Qin Mu immediately tightened his grip on Carefree Sword and said alertly, “This is the mother sword of the sword pellet, I can’t give it to you.”
Si Yunxiang burst out laughing. “I didn’t say I wanted it, I just wonder if after you spent so much time and energy on this, if your sword pellet can be finished.”
“Sword pellets have the word pellet which means a circular shape. Piecing several thousand swords together into a circular shape requires extremely great calculations. The arc of the bottom of the hilt has to be a circular ball that’s split into eight thousand portions. Each portion will have to be exactly the same and must be accurate to the Mo Hu digits!” Qin Mu was rather arrogant. “My calculations have always been good.”
Ling Yuxiu and Si Yunxiang pouted at him.
Qin Mu laughed and tightened his grip on Carefree Sword, sending his vital qi into it. Instantly, the mother sword and the child swords connected, sensing each other. The sharp swords whooshed through the air, and in a split second, sword lights filled the inside of the manufacturing factory.
Qin Mu vibrated his sword, and countless of sword lights whizzed toward him. As they collided, they vanished one after another.
Qin Mu’s face became redder and redder as he grunted. His thighs and arms trembled.
Suddenly, the stone slab under his feet cracked, and his shoes were crushed by the pressure.
There were still countless sword lights flying over with a rumble when Qin Mu vanished. He had sunk into the ground from the pressure and created a huge hole in the manufacturing factory!
Ling Yuxiu and Si Yunxiang were both shocked. They immediately leaped forward and said in loud voices, “Come quickly and save the cult master!”
The other disciples of Heavenly Crafts Hall that was in the manufacturing factory hurried over and heard rumblings from underground. The sword pellet was simply too heavy and was continuously pressing Qin Mu down into the ground. From the rumblings below, he had to have sunk close to fifteen yards down by then.
Everyone was planning to excavate a hole to save Qin Mu when his dull voice came from underground. “I’m okay, the sword is too heavy, everyone make way!”
Everyone immediately scattered when they saw countless flying swords spewing out from the huge hole as if it was a spring. Eight thousand swords danced in the sky before stabbing themselves into the ground, making the sword hilts tremble endlessly.
Qin Mu leaped out from the huge hole and landed on both his feet. However, his legs were still trembling and his complexion wasn’t too good.
He shook his sword once again, and countless flying swords came whooshing over. However, Qin Mu had learned his lesson and moved to stand on a pile of black iron chunks in the factory while pointing the tip of the sword down. The eight thousand swords merged together and formed a sword pellet.
Just as he had said, the bottom of the sword hilts from so many swords could form a huge circular ball. It was perfect but for errors at the digits of Mo Hu.
However, this sword pellet was unexpectedly big. It had a radius of six yards.
“It’s rare to see such a huge sword pellet…” Ling Yuxiu couldn’t help saying when she walked to and fro around the sword ball with her head raised to examine it.
“Shrink!”
Qin Mu executed his magic power, and the huge sword pellet began to shrink. When it shrunk to its limit, it still had the radius of three feet.
Qin Mu’s vital qi was already mobilized to his limits, and his face was red from holding his breath, but he still couldn’t shrink it any more than that.
His eight thousand flying swords were all able to shrink to an inch, but because there were too many swords, the sword pellet was still very big.
“The time I used to refine them is too short, they still require more nourishment and refinement. If I could refine them until they are as fine as natural silk, I would be able to form a sword pellet that’s the size of a pigeon egg.
Qin Mu let out a shaky breath and gripped the sword hilt of Carefree Sword with both of his hands. With a sudden spin, the seven thousand nine hundred and ninety-nine swords instantly expanded outwards. They hung in the air with the tips of the swords pointing to the center of the circle.
He activated Carefree Sword again, and the flying swords flew over and collided with it with a hum before vanishing into the mother sword.
The collisions became faster and faster as more and more flying swords disappeared from the air.
Everyone gave a cry of astonishment. Qin Mu was now using another refinement method for a sword pellet.
There were two methods to make a sword pellet. The first was to piece all of them into a pellet with the tip of the sword facing the center of the circlet. This refinement method had a high requirement for algebra and many sword sects from Dao Sect’s factions used this kind of method to refine their sword pellets.
The second kind was to use the mother sword to swallow the child swords. Keeping all the child swords in the mother sword was the refinement method used mostly by the sword sects of the south.
The second variant required the mother sword to be extremely flexible. After entering all the child swords inside, the two hands would just have to rub the body of the mother sword and it would turn into a sword pellet. This didn’t need a high requirement for algebra.
Both methods had their own advantages. Sword pellets made by the first method had an easier time executing sword skills and was quicker in making a move, laying out sword formations at any time.
The second method of swallowing swords could direct the power of the child swords to the mother sword, allowing it to explode with abnormally powerful strength.
These two refinement methods were not flexible. It was either one or the other.
But at that moment, Qin Mu had tried to accommodate both methods, and he actually succeeded. It was truly extraordinary!
“A well-deserved reputation of the world’s number two in refining weapons.” Si Yunxiang sighed. “How I wish I could witness how the number one expert in the world refines weapons, how brilliant must his techniques be…”
Qin Mu had collected over two thousand swords when he started to feel that he couldn’t bear the weight anymore. After operating so many swords repeatedly, his vital qi was completely emptied out.
He stopped holding onto the swords and shook his taotie sack. Countless flying swords immediately flew over like fish and went inside.
Even though his sword pellet was done, the only thing he could only use his taotie sack as a storage bag since the swords’ weight was simply too great. A sword pellet that had a radius of three feet was just too shocking, and he wouldn’t be able to lift it either
“I was originally a little envious of the cowherd’s sword pellet, but now I don’t feel anything of the kind,” Ling Yuxiu said in a low voice while holding back her laughter. “Even though his spirit weapon is good, he won’t be able to use it.”
Si Yunxiang nodded. “Even if he could lift them, his vital qi will be gone after a few swings.”
Qin Mu hung the taotie sack back on his pants. However, even though taotie sacks were said to be able to dismiss magnetic forces, his was not made from a real taotie skin. Because of that, some of the magnetic forces still affected the flying swords. The taotie sack came to weigh a hundred pounds and dragged his pants down.
Great Cult Master Qin undid the taotie sack with a black face and fetched some golden thread rope to make two straps to the taotie sack. This allowed him to carry it on his back like a small backpack.
“Piak!”
A clear smacking sound rang out, and Si Yunxiang’s face turned red as she rubbed her buttocks. Qin Mu had given a tight slap to her behind when no one looking. The great cult master knew she had played some trick on the materials used for refining the swords to make them so heavy.
Ling Yuxiu looked over in bewilderment but didn’t ask anything. She said, “My brother has already been gone for a few months, so I’m afraid that he has already reached the southern borders. Are we still going to hurry over?”
Qin Mu shook his head. “I’m not going to find the crown prince. Qingmen Pass is right to the north of Great Thunderclap Monastery and is not far from here, so I will visit Ghost Valley.”
