Ye Ling turned her head at the sound.
Standing next to a nearby workshop was a female disciple, her short shirt soaked with sweat, her exposed arms firm and strong.
Her hands were still stained with a lot of black ore dust, and she was staring at Ye Ling with wide eyes.
Seeing Ye Ling turn to look at her, the disciple's face instantly lit up with surprise, and she quickly stepped forward.
“It really is you!”
“You haven't shown your face in the sect for half a year since you went into seclusion after the new disciple tournament.”
“I caught a glimpse of you from afar just now and wasn't sure, fearing I might have mistaken someone else for you.”
Her tone carried a hint of reverence, and she quickly asked,
“May I ask what brings you to the Artifact-Refining Peak today? If you have any trivial chores, please feel free to command me. I can run errands for you.”
Ye Ling smiled faintly. “I have come this time to find the Peak Master of the Artifact-Refining Peak. Could you tell me where he is?”
The female disciple smiled understandingly. “So you are looking for Peak Master Ji. He is currently instructing disciples in the largest workshop ahead. I will take you there.”
The two walked side by side for a moment, arriving at the largest main workshop on the entire Artifact-Refining Peak.
Inside the workshop, the furnace fires raged, and waves of heat surged. Ye Ling spotted the Artifact-Refining Peak Master at a glance.
He was bare-chested, his skin covered in thick calluses from years of blacksmithing, and his hands gripped a heavy dark iron hammer.
The muscles on his arms bulged as he swung the hammer with all his might, striking the sword prototype on the anvil again and again, sending sparks flying in all directions.
As he forged, he loudly instructed the crowd of disciples gathered around to observe.
“Forging weapons requires absolute focus! The strength of your strikes and the duration of the heat cannot differ by even a hair's breadth. For those who are impatient, even the finest heavenly materials and ores will not yield a handy divine weapon!”
“The hammer must fall heavily, and the retraction of force must be steady. Every strike must be infused with spiritual energy to fuse the veins of the spiritual iron, so there will be no hidden danger of fracturing!”
“Do not just chase speed. Weapon iron has a spirit. If you treat it half-heartedly, it will treat you half-heartedly when you face your enemies in the future!”
Ye Ling did not speak up to interrupt, quietly standing at the doorway and watching for a while.
Only when Peak Master Ji paused his work did the female disciple step forward to report.
“Peak Master Ji, look who's here! True Disciple Ye Ling, whom you've been thinking about every day, has arrived!”
Peak Master Ji, who had a solemn and stern expression just a moment ago, froze upon hearing this, his tense face instantly softening.
A hearty smile spread across his weathered face.
He raised his eyes to look at Ye Ling, who stood gracefully not far away, and spoke in a hearty, warm voice.
“Lass Ye, you've finally come to find this old Ji. Ever since I heard you went into seclusion to charge into the Xiantian Realm, I've been waiting for you.”
“I calculated long ago that the first thing you would do upon breaking through and exiting seclusion would be to retrieve your sword. I just didn't expect you to be so fast.”
Ye Ling slightly cupped her hands. “Peak Master Ji is truly perceptive. My seclusion this time was a complete success, and the first thing I did after exiting was to rush to the Artifact-Refining Peak to retrieve my sword.”
“May I ask if the longsword this junior entrusted you to refine is ready now?”
Peak Master Ji clapped his hands and laughed heartily. “It has been ready for a long time! Come, come, come, follow me to the Peak Master's drawing room to talk in detail.”
“I have carefully sealed and preserved your sword for a long time, just waiting for you to come and retrieve it yourself!”
With that, he took the lead and walked forward. Ye Ling nodded gently and followed with steady steps.
This scene left all the surrounding disciples of the Artifact-Refining Peak completely dumbfounded.
The strict master, who had been harshly lecturing them just a moment ago over the slightest mistake, now seemed like an entirely different person in his warmth.
Everyone looked at one another, their faces filled with disbelief.
But in the next second, a second thought crossed their minds, and they instantly understood.
This was True Disciple Ye Ling, the peerless genius who had crushed everyone in the new disciple tournament and possessed talent that topped the entire Qinglan Sword Sect.
In the entire sect, only this Tenth True Disciple could make the usually iron-faced and strict Peak Master Ji break his rules and show such a warm and gentle attitude.
At this thought, there was no longer any surprise left in the hearts of the disciples, replaced only by heartfelt admiration and respect.
The two stepped into the Peak Master's main hall. The hall was clean and tidy, with the faint scent of furnace fire mixed with green tea drifting in the air.
Peak Master Ji pulled Ye Ling to sit down, then turned to bring over a cup of freshly brewed green tea and handed it to her.
The tea was clear and steaming, carrying a light herbal fragrance.
“Your sword was completely forged half a year ago.”
“During that time, I often wondered how long it would take for you to break through to the Xiantian Realm. I didn't expect you to step into the Xiantian Realm so quickly.”
“Your speed has far exceeded my expectations.”
Peak Master Ji shook his head with a smile, his tone tinged with emotion.
After saying this, he reached his hand into the storage bag at his waist.
With a flash of spiritual light, a longsword quietly appeared in his palm, and he slowly handed it to Ye Ling.
The body of the sword was completely clear and warm, with a clean, pure blue-green base color, resembling layers of mountain mist under a clear day.
The size perfectly fit Ye Ling's stature, and the thickness of the hilt was tailored to her palm.
The blade's width was moderate—neither too heavy to drag down her movement techniques, nor too thin and lacking the power to defeat enemies.
The lines along the spine of the blade were smooth and sleek, without any unnecessary, complicated decorations.
Only a faint cloud pattern was carved at the pommel of the hilt, simple and elegant, perfectly matching Ye Ling's habitually cold and indifferent temperament.
Ye Ling's gaze fell upon the longsword, and she instantly fell in love with it. Joy welled up in her eyes, and the more she looked at it, the more pleased she became.
She reached out to take it. When her fingertips touched the hilt, a slightly cool sensation came over her, but it did not freeze her hand; instead, it carried a hint of warmth.
Looking at her joyful expression, Peak Master Ji smiled and said,
“From the very beginning, this sword was forged according to the top specifications manageable by a Xiantian Realm cultivator. The finished product is already a Profound-grade mid-tier spiritual weapon.”
“In the future, when your cultivation breaks through to the Tongxuan Realm, feel free to bring it to me. I can open the furnace to forge it again, and the grade of the sword can be raised even further.”
“None of the materials used in its forging are ordinary. It is a blend of three rare ores: deep-sea cold iron, Qingyun cloud-pattern crystal, and thousand-year flexible steel.”
“It balances both hardness and flexibility. Even under powerful slashes, it will not easily chip or dull, and it can slowly spring back even when bent with full force. It is excellent for both offense and defense.”
Ye Ling's heart was filled with joy. Holding the longsword in both hands, she solemnly cupped her hands to thank him.
“Thank you, Peak Master, for your painstaking efforts in forging it. I am extremely pleased with this sword.”
After a brief pause, she asked again, “Peak Master, does this longsword have a name yet?”
Peak Master Ji waved his hand. “I intentionally left it unnamed, saving this opportunity for you to name your own weapon personally.”
Ye Ling looked down at the faint blue-green spiritual light swirling around the blade. After a moment of thought, she said softly,
“Let's call it Qinglan. The Qinglan Sword.”
Hearing this, Peak Master Ji muttered the name to himself twice, then clapped his hands in high praise.
“A great name! The Qinglan Sword, perfectly matching the Qinglan Sword Sect, and fitting you, our Tenth True Disciple, to a tee!”
Seeing how Ye Ling could not bear to put it down, Peak Master Ji urged with a smile,
“Just looking at it doesn't count. Try it out yourself to see if the feel, weight, and sharpness of this Qinglan Sword completely suit your liking.”
Ye Ling nodded, raising her hand to grasp the warm hilt. Her fingers wrapped naturally around it as she lifted the sword with one hand.
Clang!
A clear, melodious sword chime suddenly echoed through the hall, its lingering resonance long and deep.
Unsheathing the longsword was incredibly smooth without the slightest friction. The weight in her hand was just right, perfectly aligning with her habit of exerting force.
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