C22 Showing His Edge!

The burly man let out a snort, pulled a bamboo token from the box, and tossed it to Qin Feng with a lazy command, "Here, write your name on this. The entry fee is one Black Gold Stone."

Qin Feng picked up a nearby brush, inscribed his name on the token, then retrieved a Black Gold Stone from his Secret Bag and handed it to the man.

After verifying the name, the burly man grabbed a brown feather token from the other side of the box and flung it at Qin Feng, his tone brimming with impatience, "Alright, off you go."

Without a word, Qin Feng headed straight for the competition area.

The man glanced at the bamboo token, his eyes betraying utter disdain as he scoffed under his breath, "Hmph, Qin Feng? Nothing but a naive kid. He won't make it past the second stage; he's bound to be weeded out."

He had only allowed the boy to register to give him a taste of reality, to teach him a lesson he wouldn't forget. He wanted to show him where he belonged and where he didn't, what he should and shouldn't do. This was no place for the fiery passion of youth.

As expected, when Qin Feng stepped onto the stage and presented the feather token to the Censor, the crowd and the Artifact Forging Masters erupted into laughter, and even the Censor looked bewildered upon receiving it.

"Who's this little tyke? This is the Artifact Forging Competition, not a playground for children," remarked an elderly Artifact Forging Master, stroking his beard, while the onlookers joined in the mockery.

Qin Feng's brow furrowed.

Were all the Artifact Forging Masters in Essence City this condescending? He hadn't encountered such attitudes back in Li City, especially not from those who should know better.

Choosing to ignore the jeers, Qin Feng remained silent.

As he entered the arena, a flicker of nervousness crossed his mind.

"For the first challenge, forge an ordinary Spirit Artifact from the remnants of another!" Loo Xue announced, enunciating each word clearly.

Her statement sent a wave of surprise through the audience and the Artifact Forging Masters alike, all except for Qin Feng, who maintained a serene composure.

What? Crafting an ordinary Spirit Artifact from mere remnants of another? Is this some kind of joke? Around here, only the exceptionally gifted or seasoned elders who've spent years in artifact forging could accomplish such a feat. And let's not forget the elite Artifact Forging Masters—it takes them considerable time and they often face setbacks.

Sweat beaded on the brows of many Artifact Forging Masters, seemingly rattled by the mere thought.

Qin Feng kept his expression neutral, but inwardly he was bursting with glee. If they only knew that he had been capable of forging Spirit Artifacts from scraps without breaking a sweat from the get-go, they'd probably be up in arms, ready to throttle him.

Each Artifact Forging Master was attended by a servant, who brought heaps of scraps for their use. When it was Qin Feng's turn, whether by accident or design, the scraps he received were significantly less than what the others got.

Qin Feng was irked. This was outright disdain. Just wait until I show them up.

"Alright, everyone, please ready your Forging Furnace. The competition is about to start, and it will last as long as it takes an incense stick to burn."

And so, the Artifact Forging Masters on stage summoned their Forging Furnaces. Some were as large as barrels, others were smaller, yet adorned with the most intricate carvings. But when Qin Feng brought out his Immortal Furnace, someone quipped, "That furnace is so ugly and tiny, it looks like it's meant for begging!"

The comment sent ripples of laughter through the front row of the audience, and even the Artifact Forging Masters on stage joined in.

Let them laugh. Soon enough, they'll be weeping.

As the competition commenced, the other masters carefully selected the finest scraps and placed them into their furnaces, igniting the Spirit Fire to begin their forging. Meanwhile, Qin Feng dumped all the scraps he was given straight into his furnace.

"Hey, what's that kid up to?"

"I have no idea. He must be out of his mind. Why is he acting so recklessly?"

"…"

Qin Feng ignored the murmurs of the crowd below, concentrating instead on igniting the Spirit Fire to begin his forging. He deftly manipulated the Profound Power to enhance and diminish the quality, while the crackling sounds from the furnace echoed in succession.

"What's with the noise coming from his furnace? It's not going to explode, is it?"

"Ding!"

"Congratulations to the host for acquiring an ordinary-grade Spirit Weapon, the Bright Moon Wheel, a type of curved blade Spirit Weapon."

The long-missed mechanical voice rang out, bringing a sense of familiarity to Qin Feng.

"Time's up!" With that announcement, the Artifact Forging Masters ceased their work. Those who had completed their forging stood aside, while those who hadn't were regretfully dismissed, regardless of their reluctance.

Only twelve individuals succeeded in passing the test, as the Spirit Weapons crafted by the others failed to meet the required standard.

When the Censor approached Qin Feng's station, Qin Feng presented his freshly forged magic artifact. The judge examined it for an extended period before looking at Qin Feng with an incredulous expression, struggling to find the words.

This Spirit Weapon was, without a doubt, of ordinary grade. The materials were unadulterated, yet its purity surpassed that of the Pure Qi from the other Artifact Forging Masters. This young man…

"Censor, may I have my results?" Qin Feng inquired.

"Qin Feng... has passed..."

The audience, both on and off the stage, appeared utterly astonished. How could it be possible? This young boy managed to craft a top-grade Spirit Weapon from mere scraps. It had to be a fluke, it just had to be...

A middle-aged man, appearing to be about nineteen or twenty years Qin Feng's senior, gazed at him, his eyes brimming with skepticism.

"Very well, those victorious in the first stage may proceed to the next challenge. For the second stage, the Artifact Forging Masters will select two items from the materials presented by the attendants to forge a top-grade Spirit Weapon!"

As he finished speaking, a procession of attendants arrived, bearing an assortment of materials.

The crowd below stirred into a frenzy once more, and the complexions of the Artifact Forging Masters grew noticeably ashen.

The materials available were a collection of low-grade crystals, even lower-grade Profound Iron Stones, basic Fighting Bull Leather Armor, and three rudimentary Cold Iron Daggers...

This meant there wasn't a single piece of mid-grade material in sight!

Several Artifact Forging Masters were already in a state of alarm. How on earth could one craft a top-tier Spirit Artifact from such inferior materials? Moreover, they were only permitted to select two items. It seemed like a fool's errand!

Yet, Qin Feng remained composed as he sifted through the materials. Ultimately, he settled on the three basic Cold Iron Daggers and the simple Fighting Bull Leather Armor. He placed them all into the Forging Furnace and ignited the Spirit Fire, skillfully manipulating the Profound Power at his fingertips.

The seasoned Artifact Forging Master watching nearby couldn't help but look down on Qin Feng's choices. It was clear to him that the boy was just that—a child, ignorant and haphazardly tossing materials together. It was sheer folly!