C6 Battle

"Then I want to challenge you..."

The bold declaration came from a fourteen-year-old girl, leaving Lin Yu with nothing but a wry smile and a self-inflicted slap to the face. How could his loose lips always get him into trouble? If only he had picked up on Chu Xiangyue's subtle hint and corrected himself in time, he wouldn't have reduced her to tears right there on the spot.

But it was too late for regrets. Yao Xi, biting her lip and fighting back tears, was stubbornly challenging him. Lin Yu now realized that this young girl had her pride; his words had cut deep. How could she possibly stand for it? Was he really supposed to accept her challenge? But wouldn't that be akin to bullying a child?

At a loss, Lin Yu sought help from Chu Xiangyue, who could only offer a helpless shrug, signaling she was out of her depth.

"Do you dare?" Yao Xi pressed.

"There's really no need," Lin Yu replied, still with that bitter smile.

"No, you were all talk just a moment ago. Why won't you accept my challenge now? If you admit that everything you said was just nonsense and offer me a sincere apology, I might forgive you," Yao Xi insisted, her cheeks flushed with emotion.

"Uh, I don't believe I was wrong," Lin Yu responded honestly. Despite her sweet and adorable appearance, he stood by his words; he wouldn't twist the truth.

"Fine, let's have our contest," Yao Xi huffed, and without further ado, she yanked Lin Yu out of the weapon shop. He nearly tripped and fell, but steadied himself and let her lead the way without protest. Chu Xiangyue followed with a shake of her head, evidently intrigued by this unusual showdown.

Before long, they stood before a towering pavilion, its entrance marked by a grand plaque that read "Myriad Mile Sword Crafting Pavilion."

Without hesitation, Yao Xi pulled Lin Yu inside. The harmonious clinking of metal was music to their ears. Looking up, they saw countless swords suspended from the lofty beams, swaying gently in the breeze, their soft clinks the result of their delicate collisions.

As they ventured deeper, they were enveloped by a searing heat. Lin Yu quickly channeled his spiritual energy to shield himself. The further they progressed, the more intense the heat became. Soon, they came upon a vast magma pool, its surface roiling with bubbles. Submerged within were numerous swords, their blades glowing red-hot, slowly dissolving. This was the final resting place for the failed creations—a forge's graveyard.

The Sword Crafting Pavilion piqued Lin Yu's interest.

"How about it? Scared yet? Just so you know, an apology won't cut it anymore—I won't forgive you. I'm going to show you what a true Sword Crafting Master looks like. Hmph," Yao Xi boasted with pride.

"Really? We'll talk after you've won," Lin Yu replied, her tone cool and collected.

"Hmph, still playing tough, huh? Just don't cry when you lose," Yao Xi teased, sticking out her tongue, yet quickening her pace. They skirted around a pool of molten lava and entered a spacious hall, where only a handful of people were present. As they walked in, the few warmly called out their greetings.

"Xi, are you here to study Sword Crafting Technique with your granddad?"

"Oh? Little princess, why the tears? Has someone been picking on you? Tell your uncle who it is, and I'll settle the score for you right away!"

"Is it that kid you brought with you? Into the lava pool with him! Who dares to mess with our Sword Crafting Pavilion's little princess? Are they asking for trouble?"

Suddenly, Lin Yu found himself the target of numerous hostile glares. He couldn't help but smile wryly, realizing just how beloved Yao Xi was in this place.

Indeed, Yao Xi's grandfather, Yao Wanli, was the head of the Myriad Mile Sword Crafting Pavilion. Yao Xi had grown up here, by her grandfather's side, and her charming, sweet nature had made her a favorite among the Pavilion's denizens. She was their little princess in every sense.

Finally, the trio reached the heart of the Sword Crafting Pavilion, where countless individual Sword Crafting Rooms were designed with excellent soundproofing and insulation. These features ensured that Sword Crafting Masters could work without distractions and that their swords would be protected from external interference.

"Xi, are you here to practice sword crafting?" inquired a portly middle-aged man, the manager of the Sword Crafting Rooms. Spotting Yao Xi, he quickly approached to say hello.

"I guess you could say that... I'm going to have a Sword Crafting Technique competition with this person," Yao Xi said, gesturing towards Lin Yu.

"A competition? This young man is also a Sword Crafting Master?" the middle-aged man asked, eyeing Lin Yu with curiosity.

"If he says it's settled, then that's that," Yao Xi huffed, "Hey..."

"It's Lin Yu, not 'Hey'," Lin Yu replied with a resigned tone.

"I don't care what your name is. Are you certain you won't concede defeat?" Yao Xi pressed.

"I won't be defeated," Lin Yu said with a smile. "What's your plan for the competition?"

"We'll both forge a sword from the same metal. Whoever crafts the higher-grade sword wins. Any objections?"

"None."

"To ensure fairness, how about we let Sister Xiangyue choose the metal for us?"

"It's your call."

"You're quite confident, aren't you? Sister Xiangyue, if you would," Yao Xi requested, prompting the portly middle-aged man to open the material warehouse so Chu Xiangyue could select the metal for their swords. The trio waited outside.

"If you lose, you'll retract your earlier statements and apologize to me publicly," Yao Xi said through clenched teeth.

"And if I win?" Lin Yu asked cheerfully.

"You won't beat me," Yao Xi retorted, her teeth still gritted.

"I'm talking about 'if'..."

"Well... what do you propose?"

"I won't be too hard on you. If I win, allow me to choose any metal from your warehouse to forge my sword. How does that sound?" Lin Yu proposed with a grin. He had already scoured the Dragon Flying Weapon Shop without finding a suitable sword, so he had set his sights on this young girl. The Myriad Mile Sword Crafting Pavilion was renowned in the region for its collection of rare metals. With access to those and his Sword Crafting Technique, Lin Yu was confident he could create a legendary weapon.

Yao Xi hesitated, glancing at the middle-aged man for his input.

"It's acceptable," the man said, well aware of Yao Xi's capabilities. In this region, aside from the exceptional talents among the Inner Sect disciples of the Profound Heaven Sect, no one could easily outdo her in sword crafting. And those elite disciples, with their prestigious backgrounds, were unlikely to stoop to such trivial games with Yao Xi.

Moreover, he had long since discerned Lin Yu's level of cultivation: a mere fourth level of the Yellow Rank. Given his age, it was somewhat underwhelming. Furthermore, the spirit power fluctuations radiating from him lacked any elemental attribute. Those with metal and fire attributes held a distinct advantage in the art of sword crafting. Yao Xi's spirit power was of the fire attribute, making her exceptionally compatible.

Thus, from any perspective, Yao Xi stood no chance of losing this contest. Why not then extend a helping hand in her favor? Having made up his mind, Wu Yong promptly agreed. At that moment, Chu Xiangyue emerged from the material storehouse, holding a large chunk of metal glowing red-hot, its intense heat palpable even from a distance.

"Flame Profound Iron?" Yao Xi blinked in surprise, her eyes shaping into delighted crescents. Wu Yong couldn't help but smile quietly to himself, confident that the outcome of the contest was now set.

"Hey..."

"I've told you, my name is Lin Yu..."

"Alright, alright... Lin Yu it is. Do you recognize the metal Sister Yue is holding?" Yao Xi asked with a hint of impatience.

"Of course, it's Flame Profound Iron, fierce as fire," Lin Yu replied with a nonchalant air.

"We'll use it for today's sword forging. Any objections?"

"None at all..." Lin Yu chuckled.

"None at all..." Yao Xi echoed his tone mockingly as she watched Wu Yong cleave the Flame Profound Iron in two. "Which half do you want?"

"Oh, either one," Lin Yu said with a laugh, casually choosing a side. As he touched the Flame Profound Iron, heat surged through his fingertips, spreading throughout his body. He quickly channeled his spirit power to counter the intense warmth.

Yao Xi had hoped to catch Lin Yu off guard, but to her mild disappointment, he remained unfazed while handling the searing Profound Iron. 'Despite not being a fire elemental cultivator, he's surprisingly composed. How odd,' she mused. Picking up the other half, Yao Xi, as a fire elemental cultivator herself, found the heat far more bearable. Holding the metal with ease, it seemed to require no effort at all.

"Humph, just wait until you're ready to concede," Yao Xi declared, already striding into a Sword Crafting Room.

"Good luck."

Lin Yu was on the verge of departing when a crisp voice caught his attention. He spun around, a look of delighted surprise on his face, thinking Chu Xiangyue was rooting for him. But there she was, tenderly patting Yao Xi's head, clearly not directing her encouragement his way.

Feeling the odd stares from the trio, Lin Yu offered an awkward smile, chiding himself for his wishful thinking.

"Humph, as if a toad could dine on swan meat... Sister Yue'er, I'm certain I'll triumph over him," Yao Xi huffed before slamming the Sword Crafting Room's door shut, vanishing from sight.

With a sense of embarrassment, Lin Yu entered the Sword Crafting Room. As the door closed behind him, a hush fell, sealing him off from the world outside.

"The Myriad Mile Sword Crafting Pavilion truly is extraordinary," Lin Yu marveled. In such a secluded space, his sword crafting would be more efficient. His gaze drifted to the nearby Sword Furnace, its flames roaring, the heat nearly overwhelming.

"To think I'd get another chance to forge a sword—such is the whimsy of time and destiny," Lin Yu mused with a heavy sigh, gingerly setting the Flame Profound Iron on the table. In a soft murmur, he resolved, "Let the sword forging begin…"