Lu Xing was so deeply struck by the blow that he fell ill and eventually died of melancholy. Following this, Uncle Lu Tong and his three elder brothers continued the mission inherited from their ancestors: to seek out or forge divine weapons capable of defeating the Scarlet Blood Demon Sword. Alas, the eldest brother, Lu An, ventured into the Scarlet Moon Gorge to procure a rare piece of Amethyst Cloud Mica, and never returned; it was presumed he met a dire end. The second brother, Lu Xing, understanding his own mediocre talent was unfit for the great task, dedicated himself wholly to assisting his three brothers, running errands and managing the affairs of the Artisan Sect so that his siblings could focus entirely on forging the divine weapon.

And the third brother, Lu Yuan, perished in a furnace explosion during the forging process. At that time, Uncle Lu Tong was still away collecting rare ores and treasures, only returning to Dan City three years later to learn of his two brothers' deaths. Overwhelmed by grief, Uncle Lu Tong’s hair turned entirely white overnight. Yet, this only solidified his resolve to forge the divine weapon and stand against the Scarlet Blood Demon Sword.” At this point, Dongguan paused, his gaze fixed grimly upon me: “Now you understand the heavy and sorrowful mission borne by the Divine Artisan, Uncle Lu Tong. It is highly probable that the Master Huang Yi you mentioned is the very person who could offer him the greatest assistance. Yet now you claim you cannot find any trace of Senior Huang Yi. Do you truly believe Lu Tong will abandon this pursuit so easily?”

“That sounds… rather serious,” Long Xin stammered. Clearly, Long Xin was already regretting her desire to save money, which had landed me in such a perilous situation, and she looked at me apologetically.

“................” Good heavens! I was utterly dumbfounded this time. How could this be? Just two blueprints had brought me such immense trouble. I didn’t doubt for a second Lu Tong’s obsession with meeting the senior Huang Yi, who was practically impossible to find. If I were in his shoes, I wouldn’t give up either. At this moment, Lu Tong must be desperate to meet the designer of the Hundred Battles Saber. But the problem was, there was absolutely no way for me to produce Grandmaster Huang Yi before Lu Tong.

“This time, I’ve truly played myself into a corner!” I forced a wry smile. “Can I just run away?”

“Run!” Dongguan echoed my bitter smile. “Where do you think you could possibly escape to?” Dongguan continued, “Setting aside the fact that Uncle Lu himself is a top-tier Scarlet Moon Warrior, the Artisan Sect’s network spanning the entire world is enough to ensure you can't hide. With just a word from Uncle Lu, every expert rogue adventurer across the continent could dig three feet underground and still find you. Perhaps you don’t realize the influence the Artisan Sect wields in the world of adventurers. Even the major factions of Sabac, and the two great houses of Lan and Zi, must show the Artisan Sect deference, and they address Uncle Lu as ‘Old Master’ when they meet him!”

“.........” Damn it. Why does every lie I tell result in this level of catastrophic trouble? I swore inwardly that I would never lie again, but how was I supposed to navigate the immediate crisis? “I can’t fight him, and I can’t flee. This is truly…” I felt utterly defeated.

....... A silence fell over the group. The previous excitement had evaporated entirely, replaced by looks of deep worry.

“I don't think things have reached the absolute worst point yet!” Long Qi said, looking at us, hesitation in his voice, though he seemed to have thought of a solution.

“What’s your idea?” Long Xin said, instantly perking up, looking at Long Qi with anticipation.

“The idea is simple!” Long Qi said, turning to me. “Since you already claimed that the Hundred Battles Saber was designed by Xingchen, that settles it. Since we can’t find the real Senior Huang Yi anyway, we should just have Xingchen go chat with Lu Tong, spend some time with him.”

“That’s right!” Long Zhan slammed his large, shiny head enthusiastically. “Lu Tong has no idea who designed the Hundred Battles Saber. If we say Xingchen designed it, then Xingchen designed it. That’s a good plan.”

“You all think too simply of Uncle Lu,” Dongguan snapped irritably. “Though I don’t know how powerful that strange Hundred Battles Saber is, the fact that Uncle Lu esteems it so highly suggests its designer must be an extraordinary genius, someone whose understanding of weaponry far surpasses Uncle Lu’s own. If Uncle Lu decides to test Xingchen with a few casual questions, won’t the lie fall apart immediately?”

“That…” Jin Hong nodded slightly as well. “Yes, with Lu Tong’s erudition, fooling him won’t be easy.”

“But besides this, can you think of a better way?” Long Qi sighed helplessly. “Perhaps Xingchen can claim he obtained the blueprint accidentally, and that he has no idea who the original designer was.”

“Exactly!” Long Xin exclaimed suddenly. “This is even better! If even Xingchen doesn’t know the designer, then the problem is solved! Furthermore, Xingchen can say whatever he wants regarding that point.”

“This method might actually work,” Dongguan conceded, nodding involuntarily. “It seems that is the only option left.” Dongguan looked back at me. “But you need to think carefully about what you’re going to say when you meet him. If you slip up, you’ll face a very ugly end. Uncle Lu isn’t someone you can easily fool.”

“Ah.” Lie again! I inwardly lamented. Damn it, I just swore I wouldn’t lie anymore, and now I’m being forced to continue! Is this cursed fate playing a joke on me? I felt trapped in an inescapable mire. Though I didn't want to deceive him, fate was pushing me onto this path.

“When then! When do we go see Lu Tong!” Though extremely unwilling, I had no choice. I honestly couldn’t think of any better solution.

“Hmm! We probably don’t need to go that fast!” Dongguan paused in thought. “Recently, news came out of the Demon Sealing Empire that they plan to auction a highly rare Black Iron Essence Soulstone. That’s an exceedingly valuable holy material for sword forging, and Uncle Lu is determined to acquire it. He’s currently busy traveling to the Demon Sealing Empire for the auction. He probably won’t be back for quite some time.” Dongguan then looked at me. “If it weren't for the Demon Sealing Empire auction, I doubt Uncle Lu would have let you off so easily.”

“Phew, thank the heavens,” I sighed in relief without thinking. At least postponing it for a day was something. Moreover, during this time, perhaps I could find a better solution, or at the very least, script a more convincing story for my lie. Heaven, I truly don’t want to lie anymore, but I am being forced into it.

“Good, that’s settled.” Not only me, but Long Xin and the others also looked deeply relieved. However, Long Qi didn't forget to caution me: “Use this time to carefully think about what you will say when you meet Lu Tong.” It seemed this fellow was thinking along the same lines as I was.

“Understood!” I nodded. When it came to weaving tales and fabricating stories, I was the most proficient. I was confident I could provide Lu Tong with the most suitable explanation, but I wondered what new trouble this lie would summon.

Once a potential solution was in sight, our spirits finally relaxed considerably. Only then did I have the leisure to examine the Hundred Battles Saber and the Duellist Sword in my hands. Undeniably, both were masterpieces of rare craftsmanship. Especially after hearing Dongguan recount the Artisan Sect’s legend concerning the Scarlet Blood Demon Sword, the Blade of Destiny, and the Blade of Prayer, I was filled with profound emotion. Thinking that the sword in my hand also originated from the hands of an Artisan Sect Grandmaster, perhaps it was psychological, but I suddenly felt that the saber and sword in my hands were no longer mere weapons.

I noticed the others looking at me with expressions of envy. “Xingchen, aren’t you going to test the power of the Hundred Battles Saber?” Long Zhan asked.

“Indeed, that’s what I intend!” I sheathed the Duellist Sword back into its original scabbard, then stored the old Hundred Battles Saber and the Duellist Sword into my spatial pouch. Afterward, holding the Hundred Battles Saber with both hands, I slowly walked toward the dense throng of monsters on the training grounds.

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

Three Black Grubs charged like a gust of wind, appearing within five meters of me in the blink of an eye.

Roar! With a lunge, I swept the Hundred Battles Saber horizontally. I didn't infuse it with any Dou Qi or energy; it was just a simple sweep of "Horizontal Sweep of a Thousand Armies."

Splat! Splat! There was no perceptible resistance or drag. The Hundred Battles Saber sliced instantly through the bodies of the three Black Grubs.

Thud!

After a long moment, the upper halves of the struck Black Grubs, which were dark and solid, slowly slid sideways and finally crashed to the ground. The lower halves remained frozen in their forward-charging posture.

“.............” Good heavens, what a sharp blade. I stared at the Hundred Battles Saber in my hand in shock. Although I knew it was a rare, magnificent weapon, the sheer level of its sharpness far exceeded my imagination—it was a hundred times stronger than my previous Hundred Battles Saber. Damn, I thought of the legendary sword that could slice a single hair in half—this was surely comparable. In that "Horizontal Sweep of a Thousand Armies," I honestly hadn't used even thirty percent of my strength; it was merely a swing following the blade’s momentum, yet it cleanly severed the three parallel-charging Black Grubs in half.

“...........” I turned to look behind me and saw that Long Xin and the others wore equally stunned expressions. Long Zhan, being a warrior, was particularly horrified; he could likely gauge exactly how much force I had exerted in that single swing.

“This is simply too absurd,” Dongguan muttered to himself. “I didn’t truly believe Xingchen was already a high-level warrior at such a young age.”

“This guy!” Long Qi exclaimed with resignation. “With this Hundred Battles Saber, he’s becoming utterly unbelievable.”

“Yes,” Jin Hong nodded instinctively. “He’s even stronger than before!”

“A high-level warrior is truly a high-level warrior!” Long Xin said with complicated feelings. “It seems this place is no longer suitable for Xingchen to continue his training.”

“........” Long Qi sighed with a hint of bitterness. “The gap between us is growing wider and wider. That kid Xingchen will probably advance again soon!”

I, meanwhile, gripped the Hundred Battles Saber, exhilarated. It seemed my future cultivation progress could accelerate significantly now. I was itching to heft the saber and charge deep into the Centipede Cave right now, launching an assault on the even more formidable Pincer Worms within.

“Go ahead if you wish!” Long Xin smiled lightly. “After all, staying here won’t allow you to make any further progress.”

“The monsters here simply can’t elevate your power level any further,” Long Zhan admitted, his expression complex. “Though I find it hard to accept and resentful, I have to say, you brat, you’re just impossible. You’ve reached the high-level warrior standard so quickly. Even if I spent my whole life chasing you, I doubt I could catch up!”

“Heh heh,” I chuckled awkwardly, not knowing what to say. As a warrior myself, I understood Long Zhan’s feelings perfectly. “Everyone has their own path; you just haven’t found yours yet.” I patted Long Zhan’s shoulder. All I could offer now was: “Keep going, don’t give up easily. I don’t want to be too lonely, you know.”

“You insolent brat,” Long Zhan retorted good-naturedly. He punched my chest lightly. “Don’t get cocky. Even if I can’t catch up to you, I won’t let you get too far ahead.”

“Heh heh! That’s best. Don’t expect me to look back and find you nowhere in sight!”

“Hmph! Just you wait and see.”

“Take care of yourself!” Jin Hong also looked reluctant to part. “Honestly, your progress is frighteningly fast. I’ve never seen anyone like you. You mastered the Assassination Sword Qi in less than a month. I’m sure mastering the Half-Moon Scimitar won't take you much longer either.” Jin Hong also punched my chest. “Keep working hard.”

“I will! You guys too.” I instinctively reached out to pat Jin Hong’s shoulder, but the kid deftly dodged it. “Hey, you little punk, you’ll make me fall apart with that strength of yours.”

Ah!

I looked at him, momentarily stunned. But thinking about it carefully, my strength had surged so much that if I wasn't careful controlling it, I really might accidentally shatter Jin Hong, a Daoist who had barely reached the intermediate professional level, with one clumsy blow. I scratched my scalp awkwardly, feeling a bit sheepish.

“I can’t believe it!” Dongguan looked genuinely downcast. “I finally had a chance to be the younger brother, and now you’re leaving us. It's a disaster.” Dongguan seemed depressed. “Now that you’re gone, I’m the youngest again. Great. Is my destiny in life to always be the caboose?”

Pfft! Dongguan’s expression was so comical it nearly broke me. It’s just being the last one; why the drama?

“I won’t say much more,” Long Qi said, his expression complex. “Just hope you rejoin us soon. And be careful.”

“Heh heh! I will!”

Though deeply reluctant, in order to cultivate higher skills, I had to temporarily part ways with my companions and venture alone into the deeper recesses of the Centipede Cave, following the map. Of course, Long Xin had prepared everything for me beforehand; the spatial pouch was packed with enough provisions for three years. I had to admit, Long Xin was a remarkably competent leader, always thinking of his subordinates.

I proceeded along the main path toward the cave’s depths. Many other adventurers were traveling the same way. Judging by their attire and weapons, they seemed to be high-level adventurers, with a few even carrying ultra-heavy warrior-class weapons like the Judgment Blade. Seeing these made me noticeably nervous. In truth, these were the ultimate weapons available to high-level adventurers in the current adventurer world. In my past life in Legend, after the Judgment Blade, warriors could wield weapons like the Blade of the Overlord, the Dragon Slaying Saber, the Fury Cleaver, the Heaven Splitter, and so on. Unfortunately, in this world, while these weapons existed, ordinary adventurers had absolutely no right to possess them. These were weapons exclusively for Imperial Warriors. Adventurers of commoner status, even if they obtained them, dared not carry them openly, lest they be hunted down by the military—it was somewhat akin to modern-day controlled weapons.

The path was constantly busy, but most travelers moved in groups of ten, or at least in the core trinity combination of Daoist, Warrior, and Mage. Traveling alone like I was truly unique. Coupled with my appearance—I looked only thirteen or fourteen, though my current body was around fourteen—I was easily identifiable despite wearing a Daoist helmet. The weapon strapped to my back was just a somewhat odd-looking cylindrical sword; the Hundred Battles Saber was simply too long, so I had to store it in my spatial pouch, only taking it out when I reached the destination. Overall, I must have looked like a runaway child.

“Hey! Little squirt! Why aren't you staying home? What are you doing out here?” Finally, a large fellow who seemed somewhat warmhearted couldn't hold back and blocked my path. “It’s very dangerous ahead; you should hurry home.”

“Hahahaha…” The surrounding adventurers burst into laughter. “Being an adventurer isn’t easy, kid. Looking at your adventurer mark, you’re only a beginner. You should go back outside and practice fighting scarecrows for a while.”

Damn, looking down on me. I thought inwardly, but I also knew these adventurers meant well. Based on my adventurer mark, I did indeed look like a novice adventurer daring to charge alone into the depths of the Centipede Cave—a truly rare sight. Of course, I knew my own strength, but others certainly didn't.

“Mind your own business!” I shouted irritably and swiftly circled around the large man.

“Ah!” The big guy paused slightly. “This kid takes good intentions for donkey liver and lungs!” The man looked annoyed and wanted to follow, but a beautiful Daoist beside him stopped him.

“Forget it!” The beautiful Daoist shook her head slightly. “Let him go. If we’re really worried, we can follow, and if he runs into trouble, he’ll learn that being an adventurer isn't simple.”

“Jeez!” The big guy grumbled resentfully. “Kids these days have no sense. Only a beginner adventurer’s strength, yet he dares to force his way into the depths of the Centipede Cave.”

“Haha, Brother Guan, since when did you take up the job of a nanny?” a tall man dressed as a Mage standing nearby teased.

“Go to hell,” the big man retorted irritably. “If it weren't for the fact he’s a kid and traveling alone, I wouldn't have wasted my time.” The big man still felt indignant. “Whether he lives or dies, it’s none of my damn business.”

While they were bickering, I had already quickened my pace, leaving them behind. Frankly, I was sick and tired of being treated like a child, but I still couldn't escape the strange looks cast my way. This feeling was utterly awful, and I decided that once I reached my destination, I would find a hidden, deserted place to cultivate alone, just to avoid being managed by these self-righteous busybodies.