C8 Dust

Time crept by, and before we knew it, two hours had slipped away. Chu Xiangyue remained stoically indifferent, while Yao Xi grew increasingly impatient. Several times she nearly hauled Lin Yu out herself, only to be dissuaded by Wu Yong's earnest pleas.

Another two hours ticked past, and finally, there was movement at the Sword Crafting Room door. Lin Yu emerged, looking considerably worse for wear compared to Yao Xi. His complexion was ashen, his eyes dull, and he walked with a shaky, unsteady gait that suggested he might collapse at any moment.

Wu Yong's gaze briefly betrayed a flicker of contempt upon seeing Lin Yu's state, but he quickly masked it. Chu Xiangyue's face remained impassive, yet her eyes grew colder, clearly sharing in the disdain.

"Hey... Lin Yu... what took you so long?" Yao Xi snapped, irritation lacing her voice. She gave him a shove, and he stumbled backward, unable to resist—his spiritual energy was just too depleted, and he felt an overwhelming urge to just sleep.

"Hmph, what a waste..." Yao Xi muttered, catching sight of Lin Yu's frail condition.

"I'm really sorry, I ran into some issues," Lin Yu offered, his apology hanging awkwardly in the air as it met with silence.

"Hmph, at least you realize how slow you've been. You've kept Ms. Xiangyue and me waiting forever. You must think quite highly of yourself," Yao Xi said, her tone dripping with sarcasm as she snatched the Sword Box from Lin Yu's grasp. "This is the masterpiece you've been fussing over for so long?"

Lin Yu simply nodded.

"Well, I'm eager to see what you're capable of..." Yao Xi said, quickly flipping open the Sword Box. Chu Xiangyue and Wu Yong leaned in, curious about Lin Yu's creation. To their astonishment, there was no trace of the expected fiery aura emanating from the box, which was quite out of the ordinary.

Both paused, taken aback as they laid eyes on a plain, reddish longsword resting within the Sword Box. It appeared utterly unremarkable, as if it were a sword any layperson could forge from common metal.

"This is what you've been laboring over for six hours?" Yao Xi asked, barely suppressing a giggle, her cheeks puffed and rosy, making her look as adorable as a ripe, red apple.

"Is there an issue?" Lin Yu inquired, his voice tinged with weakness.

"An issue? Hahaha, you're killing me! You seriously have the audacity to ask if there's a problem? I can't handle this anymore, Ms. Xiangyue, I just can't... Hahaha..." Yao Xi burst into uncontrollable laughter.

Confused, Lin Yu pressed, "What's so funny?"

"What's funny? Hahaha, what do you think? I'm laughing at you, of course! You dare to call yourself a Sword Crafting Master? Just look at what you've made. You've squandered such valuable Flame Profound Iron. Hahaha..." Yao Xi was laughing so hard she was gasping for air, tears streaming down her face.

"What do you mean? The sword forging went really well this time. It's of a very high standard..." Lin Yu responded, baffled. He truly couldn't fathom what she found so hilarious... Had she lost her mind?

"Oh yes, the standard is sky-high – for a beginner, that is! Hahahaha... Lin Yu, the level of ignorance you've reached is truly unprecedented... Hahahaha..." Yao Xi continued to cackle. Wu Yong, standing nearby, could no longer hide his disdain.

Chu Xiangyue was even more blunt. She shot Lin Yu a cold look before striding away. She had waited six hours for this outcome, which was utterly disappointing.

Lin Yu was no fool. Reading the scorn in their eyes, he finally got it. "You're saying the sword I painstakingly crafted is junk?"

"No... It's not that we think... It's outright junk, alright?" Yao Xi, finally catching her breath from laughing, explained, "Today, I'm feeling generous, so let me enlighten you. This continent is home to countless ores, both renowned and obscure. Some are ideal for weapon forging, others are worthless. Depending on the environment and the attributes they possess, ores can be classified into various types, like water, fire, thunder, and so on. Take the flame ore we used in our contest – it's of the fire attribute."

Sword Crafting Masters understand that the inherent attributes of ore dictate its purpose and the individuals best suited to wield it. Flame Profound Iron, with its fire attribute, is ideal for fire attribute cultivators. When forging a sword, a Sword Crafting Master must consider numerous factors, such as how to enhance the sword's power while retaining the ore's native properties. More advanced masters can even elevate the ore's attributes to extraordinary levels using secret techniques."

"I'm well aware of all this... Why do you feel the need to lecture me?" Lin Yu responded with a hint of exasperation, having committed these details to memory since the age of eight.

"Do you even understand why your sword is subpar?" Yao Xi mocked.

"Subpar in what way?"

"Your ignorance is astounding..." Yao Xi scoffed, lifting the sword from Lin Yu's Sword Box. "The primary concern for a Sword Crafting Master is to preserve the ore's original attributes during the forging process. Yet, your sword has lost all traces of the Flame Profound Iron's properties. It's practically indistinguishable from a valueless, attribute-less ore. You're squandering a divine gift, you realize?"

At a loss for words after Yao Xi's lecture, Lin Yu wanted to turn the tables on her. How could someone be so clueless?

"Which eye of yours saw me strip away the Flame Profound Iron's innate attributes?" Lin Yu thought, frustrated. Before he could defend himself, Yao Xi's push sent him tumbling to the ground, his divine strength already severely depleted and not yet replenished.

Yao Xi paid him no mind, declaring, "Let me show you what a true master's work looks like..." She opened her Sword Box, and a blast of heat hit Lin Yu, making him exceedingly uncomfortable.

"How does it compare to yours? Can you see the difference now?" Yao Xi boasted triumphantly.

Is this what she calls a master's work? Just a slight enhancement of the original attributes and she's this self-satisfied? I could have done this at eight years old without much effort.

Mistaking Lin Yu's dumbfounded look for awe at her new creation, Yao Xi gloated once more, "I really shouldn't stoop to arguing with a nobody like you, but your comments were particularly offensive. Consider this a minor reprimand. I won't require a public apology, but be warned—if you spout such nonsense again, I won't be so forgiving... Uncle Wu, toss this boy out... and ensure he never steps foot in our Myriad Mile Sword Crafting Pavilion again."

"Alright."

Miss Wu Yong had no choice but to obey the command, hoisting Lin Yu by the collar with one hand and carting him out like a sack of feathers.

"Hmph, biting off more than you can chew..." Yao Xi snorted smugly, carelessly grabbing Lin Yu's newly forged sword and tossing it into the trash without a second glance.

Lin Yu was indeed cast out by Wu Yong, watching helplessly as Wu Yong vanished from view. He felt the urge to cry, but the tears wouldn't come.

It wasn't supposed to be like this, not at all. I hadn't erased the innate properties of the Flame Profound Iron; I had simply employed an intricate array to integrate it into the sword body. This would not only enhance the sword's durability but also conserve a significant amount of spiritual energy during battle by using the array to channel energy for a fiery slash.

Such a sophisticated design, so user-friendly—why couldn't anyone see its value? Lin Yu was deeply wounded. He longed to go back and explain, but with two burly guards eyeing him menacingly at the door, the chances of barging in were slim. With a heavy sigh, he resigned himself to walking away.

Brushing the dust off his clothes, he was about to leave when he caught sight of a stunningly beautiful face that quickened his pulse. Yet, her eyes had lost the warmth he had seen in them at first meeting, replaced now by a chill.

"It's not what you think... My sword crafting skills are truly exceptional!" Lin Yu protested, but his words felt feeble and hollow.

"It's none of my concern," Chu Xiangyue declared haughtily, lifting her chin and striding away, severing any remaining connection with Lin Yu.

With a rueful shake of his head, Lin Yu trudged towards the Outer Sect of the Profound Heaven Sect. He had set out to buy a sword today, but the day's events had sapped his spirit and his interest had waned.

As the sun dipped below the horizon, the day hastened to a close, and darkness began to envelop the sky.

At this hour, the Myriad Mile Sword Crafting Pavilion was nearly deserted. A portly man grumbled as he hefted a large basket from the Sword Crafting Room. The dim light revealed its contents: a collection of swords, some broken, some rusted, others dull and devoid of shine—clearly the discarded failures of the sword crafting masters. These were of no further use and were destined for the melting fires of the lava pool.

The fat man struggled to haul a basket brimming with scrap to the edge of the lava pool and dumped it in. The continuous plopping echoed in his ears as the majority of the discarded swords sank and glowed red-hot, teetering on the edge of melting away. Amidst them, a pale red longsword gently descended, its faint, starry glimmer shining through like a pearl shrouded in dust...