The next day.
At the Heavenly Mountain Sword Manor, Constable Lu stepped onto the mountain's peak, brushing a few snowflakes off his shoulder. Guided by a disciple, he traversed the snow-covered sword-training grounds and entered the main hall.
He gave a slight bow to the gathered figures.
"Manor Master Xie, Divine Artisan Du, it's been a while."
"The matter regarding the Divine Strength Powder—thank you for your efforts," Du Wufeng said solemnly.
"I didn’t contribute much. Today, with Qian Gong’s arrival, the Blood Refining Hall’s rebels were wiped out in an instant. My subordinates and I merely handled the aftermath," Constable Lu replied, shaking his head as he took a seat by the tea table. He traced the rim of his cup with a finger. "This tea is excellent."
Du Wufeng frowned.
Without changing his expression, Constable Lu continued, "What else could bring Qian Gong here, if not the Heavenly Sword?"
Xie Yiding, wearing a square scarf, chuckled lightly. "If Constable likes it, I’ll have my disciples send you a few ounces."
"How embarrassing."Only now did the tea-averse Divine Artisan Du laugh heartily and down his cup in one gulp.
"What exactly happened in the outskirts?" Du Wufeng pressed.
This time, Constable Lu didn’t stall. After a moment of consideration, he said,
"To explain, I must start with my disciple. I assigned her to investigate the Blood Refining Hall in the northern outskirts..."
Sipping his tea, Constable Lu went on,
"Today, she suddenly sent a message. Knowing she had found a lead, I immediately gathered my men and went after her. We traced the signal to a ruined temple."
"Beneath the temple was a Blood Refining Hall hideout. My disciple and a few righteous allies had already infiltrated the den. At the time, thunderclouds were gathering—as if someone was undergoing a tribulation..."
Xie Yiding interjected, "What does this have to do with the Heavenly Sword?"
"Don’t rush, Manor Master. I was just getting to that."
Constable Lu nodded. "The one who triggered the tribulation was Ying Bing, ranked third on the Hidden Dragon List. She used the Heavenly Sword to channel the tribulation’s power, tearing open a gap in the Blood Refining Hall’s fifth-realm barrier."
"Why was she there?"
"Wasn’t the Heavenly Sword in Li Mo’s possession?"
Du Wufeng and Xie Xuan asked simultaneously.
"The Divine Hammer Tyrant was inside the hideout. According to him, he had Ying Bing go there as backup. But personally..."
Having received his bribe, Constable Lu spoke candidly.
"It seemed more like Ying Bing sought it out herself."
"After that, Qian Gong arrived and purged the evil. A few Blood Refining Hall survivors remain, but I’ll need to interrogate them before sharing more."
"Thank you, Constable."
"No trouble. Though this is an imperial matter, and my disclosure is already improper. I trust you all will keep it confidential."
With a few more polite words, Constable Lu left with his subordinates.
Once he was gone, Du Wufeng sneered, his expression twisted with disdain. "That bastard. ‘Improper disclosure, keep it confidential’—my ass! Won’t lift a finger without silver."
"Brother Du, it’s just a bit of money. Not worth the anger."
"I just can’t stand his face."
"In the capital, an official who takes bribes but actually does his job is already a good one..."
After a few more complaints, they returned to the matter at hand.
The members of the Heavenly Mountain Sword Manor pondered the information they’d just heard.
Their primary concern wasn’t the Divine Strength Powder—such things were like weeds, impossible to eradicate completely, and Constable Lu was no solution.
What truly mattered was the Heavenly Sword.
"To wield the Heavenly Sword and summon heavenly thunder, even bypassing Qian Gong—what does that mean?" Du Wufeng’s tone wasn’t questioning, but awed.
It was unbelievable, yet undeniable.
"It means that in her hands, the sword’s power rivals—perhaps even surpasses—that of our late Sister Shi."
Xie Yiding gazed at the snow-capped peak, his eyelids slightly lowered. Even now, this master of the Profound Realm instinctively concealed his emotions.
Once, the summit of Heavenly Mountain wasn’t perpetually snowbound.
It was only after his junior sister’s swordplay reached perfection, after her duel with the heavens, that sunlight ceased to touch this place, leaving it in eternal winter.
"Back then, Sister Shi reshaped the Heavenly City’s realm with a single step left to creation itself. If Ying Bing..."
"Master, the sword is with the Divine Hammer Tyrant."
Xie Xuan snapped out of his daze, having mentally cursed Li Mo countless times.
"......"
Du Wufeng slammed his fist on the table. "I was a fool! I should’ve refused Jiang Yu back then. Forging a hammer for Li Mo—what if it becomes the Heavenly Divine Hammer someday?"
"Then one with a divine hammer, the other with a divine sword—wouldn’t they be unstoppable?"
Lately, Du Wufeng often regretted his past decision.
"After the Hidden Dragon Tournament, the sword will return to Heavenly City anyway," Xie Yiding said dismissively.
"I think that boy’s mindset is flawed."
Du Wufeng seemed to reach a resolution.
"I can’t let him stray further down the wrong path. I’ll teach him all my forging techniques—I must set him straight."
"Here I was, fantasizing about saving a beauty, and he’s already the one being saved."
Xie Xuan tilted his head at a forty-five-degree angle.
How was he supposed to compete with that?
......
At the Soaring Cloud Pavilion.
After cheering for Princess Little Jiang during her dragon-slaying feat, Li Mo spent some time refining his martial insights before testing his current physique.
"Just as I thought—after mastering the Eight-Nine Arcane Art, the Heaven-Earth Manifestation now covers my entire body. Of course, partial enlargement still works. My ‘Qilin Arm’ technique remains usable..."
"The duration of Indestructible Vajra has also extended to five seconds. I can now proudly call myself a ‘five-second true man,’ though timing is still crucial."
"No big deal. In my past life, I played countless rounds of ‘Three-Strike Barbarian.’ No one understands five seconds better than me!"
"Time to spar with the Great Sage again."
But there was a problem—the Star Piercer was gone.
Li Mo couldn’t keep channeling the World’s Power indefinitely to fight the monkey with his hammer.
"Use a sword?"
The thought emerged alongside the memory of the ice-cold beauty descending from the skies, sword in hand, like a celestial immortal.
Li Mo had never tried using a sword against the Great Sage’s projection—the outcome was obvious.
But now, having witnessed the Heavenly Sword’s brilliance in Ying Bing’s hands, he felt an urge to test it.
Just a try. What’s the harm?
"Sword, come!"
Adopting Ying Bing’s aloof demeanor, Li Mo beckoned casually.
"......"
Silence engulfed the Yin-Yang Training Ground. Not a pin drop could be heard.
"Ahem, I’m talking to you!"
Li Mo called again. Only then did the Heavenly Sword drift over sluggishly.
Grasping the hilt, the young swordsman frowned.
Why did the sword feel half-asleep—limp and unenthusiastic? Nothing like the radiant, awe-inspiring blade in Ying Bing’s grasp.
Was this even the same weapon?
Li Mo glared at the sword. "Can’t you perk up? I’m taking you to fight the Great Sage."
The Heavenly Sword seemed to doze off again, showing no reaction.
Maybe it yawned. Either way, it remained lethargic.
"Is it because my talent lies in hammers? Don’t be ungrateful. You were forged strike by strike, remember?"
"......"
"Fine. Playing dead, huh? How about now?"
Buzz—
A sharp sword cry rang out as the Celestial Divine Sword suddenly sprang to life.
This was because Li Mo was gripping the Hammer Treasure, its edge radiating a torrent of murderous aura and overwhelming ferocity.
He then made the Hammer Treasure glare menacingly at the Divine Sword—threatening to melt it down and reforge it if it didn’t behave.
Cowed by the Hammer Treasure’s tyranny, the Divine Sword abandoned its usual nonchalance and forcibly activated.
“Well, that actually worked…”
Li Mo’s lips twitched.
Using one divine weapon to intimidate another—what a move. Surely he couldn’t pull the same stunt at the Hidden Dragon Tournament, could he?
......
This wasn’t just about venting excess martial insights—there was an actual plot reason behind it.
This humble scribe has laid plenty of groundwork earlier, all to set up something massive later in Celestial City. Thanks for your patience, dear readers—mwah! -3-