"The world calls me the Divine Craftsman of this age, yet they don't know how far I still am from being a true one," Lu Tong murmured to himself. "A so-called Divine Craftsman is a smith who can breathe life into a weapon, but how easy is that? My father and grandfather poured their entire lives into their craft and still failed to forge a divine weapon capable of resisting the Crimson Blood Demon Sword.

The Blade of Destiny, the Blade of Prayer—in the end, they were just desperate gambles, a joke. They imbued these weapons with immense power, but they utterly failed to give them a complete soul. That is why, when facing the Crimson Blood Demon Sword, which possesses a soul and consciousness, they still met their doom." .............Everyone listened, utterly dumbfounded.

Imbuing a weapon with a complete soul—how was that even possible? "Senior, the birth of a divine weapon is not something human effort can control; it must be up to Heaven's will." I didn't know how to comfort Lu Tong, so I just spouted some meaningless platitudes: "I suppose the emergence of the Crimson Blood Demon Sword was also ordained by fate." "Indeed, divine weapons are forged by Heaven, as recorded since antiquity!" Long Qi was also deeply moved, touched by Lu Tong's steadfast pursuit and persistence. "I am not ignorant of the ways of Heaven-forged artifacts," Lu Tong sighed heavily.

"But being alive means one must have a pursuit. I am fifty now, and I still haven't found the method to forge a divine weapon. The methods passed down by my father's generation are incomplete, yet I make no progress.

In a hundred years, with what face shall I meet my deceased father and brethren?" His words cast a pall of melancholy over everyone. The young warrior nearby, however, looked at Lu Tong with undisguised confusion. Perhaps he couldn't fathom why Lu Tong would discuss such matters with juniors he had just met.

"When I first saw the blueprints for this blade, a thought stirred within me, a sudden burst of clarity, because they revealed to me another, entirely new world of swordsmithing. At least in terms of managing force and angle, this blade's design is exemplary. Because of that, I desperately wish to meet the designer of this blade!" Lu Tong stared at me, his eyes blazing with obsession.

"Perhaps you can offer me some hint." "Senior, although these schematics originated from my hand," I said, steeling myself, "they were not actually designed by me." Saying this, I lowered my head sheepishly. "You don't need to say another word!" Lu Tong turned his gaze toward Dong Guan, who offered us an apologetic look. "Dong Guan has told me everything.

The designer of this weapon is a reclusive master whose whereabouts are elusive, correct?" Lu Tong smiled faintly. We all stared at Dong Guan in shock—the boy had betrayed us. "Dong Guan!

You!" Long Xin was furious. "Don't blame him," Lu Tong chuckled lightly. "I am not as unreasonable as you imagine.

If I hadn't promised Dong Guan that I wouldn't cause you trouble, he never would have brought you here." "I'm sorry," Dong Guan said, full of apology. "Because I couldn't lie to Uncle Lu Tong. But Uncle Lu Tong promised that he only wanted to meet Xing Chen and would absolutely not harm him for not getting the answers he wanted, which is why I dared to bring you." "So, we've been scaring ourselves needlessly," Jin Hong said, still unnerved.

"Heh heh," Lu Tong replied. "Rest assured, my word is my bond." Lu Tong then looked at me. "The reason I wanted to see you was simply to meet the person who wields this weapon." With that, Long Xin and the others finally let the heavy stone lift from their hearts.

We had envisioned many outcomes, but this one had not been among them. Still, it was enough to bring me considerable peace. "And also," Lu Tong continued, looking at the young warrior beside him, "I wish to witness exactly how much power this weapon can unleash in your hands!" I finally understood Lu Tong's true intention for seeking me out—it seemed he merely wished to witness the might of the Hundred Battles Saber Technique when paired with this long blade.

"My name is Lu Zhao!" the young warrior stated calmly. "I shall be your opponent." Having spoken, Lu Zhao reached up, took the imitation of the Overlord's Blade from the rack, and grasped it firmly. "I dare not refuse your kind offer." I knew any pretense, evasion, or concealment before Lu Tong would be futile.

I promptly returned the imitation of the Crimson Blood Demon Sword in my hand to its rack and grasped the Hundred Battles Long Saber. Lu Tong and Lu Zhao both flashed expressions of approval. "Very good." Lu Zhao finally broke into a slight smile and walked slowly toward the massive square area in the center of the hall.

I followed in his wake. "My strength is at the peak of the Crimson Moon realm!" Lu Zhao stood before me, speaking placidly. "Half a month ago!

I just mastered the Blazing Fire Sword Technique!" I replied calmly. Lu Zhao and Lu Tong both showed a flicker of shock, though it quickly subsided into composure. "So, you are at the initial stage of the Crimson Moon realm." Lu Zhao's tone remained as steady as before.

"To achieve this at such a young age is truly rare." "You flatter me." I thought to myself that this constituted a pre-battle self-introduction. Lu Zhao then casually swung the saber, resting the edge across his chest. I held the saber with both hands, retreating slightly, the blade angled up parallel to my right shoulder.

I shifted my body slightly to the left and tapped my front foot forward in a false step—this was the standard stance for a left downward diagonal slash, front-level stance. Meaning, from this posture, the only attack possible was a diagonal slash descending from right to left. Lu Zhao was momentarily perplexed by my strange saber posture.

The attack intention of this stance was far too obvious, while it offered almost no consideration for defense. On the Fama Continent, such a stance would be riddled with openings. But only I knew that while this posture appeared full of flaws, the moment the opponent initiated an attack, I could simultaneously unleash my strongest diagonal cleave.

In essence, this stance disregarded defense entirely, committing to the extreme path of meeting offense with offense. The arena fell utterly silent. Outside the area, Long Xin and the others were extremely anxious.

Even though it was a simple contest with no expected danger, the clashing of blades invariably stirred a subconscious worry. Moreover, they certainly didn't want to see me lose too badly. The opponent was a supreme master at the peak of the Crimson Moon realm, worlds apart from figures like Chi Jiao or Yan Luo.

Strictly speaking, in terms of Battle Aura energy, he possessed more than three times my level. Furthermore, upon reaching this realm, advancement wasn't limited to Battle Aura; their comprehension and mastery of martial arts far surpassed that of ordinary Crimson Moon warriors. On the Mafa Continent, once a warrior reached the Crimson Moon realm, the martial path was further subdivided into four tiers: Initial Crimson Moon (my current level), Mid Crimson Moon, High Crimson Moon, and Peak Crimson Moon.

These four stages were determined by the intensity of their Blazing Fire Battle Aura. The stronger the Blazing Fire Battle Aura, the higher the corresponding rank. However, generally, once cultivation reached the Crimson Moon level, progress in Battle Aura became notoriously difficult.

Someone like Lu Zhao, achieving Peak Crimson Moon strength before thirty, was a martial prodigy rarely seen in a century. Of course, I wasn't completely lacking either, but I knew clearly that my current cultivation level owed something to taking shortcuts. Thus, while I felt a degree of satisfaction, I certainly wasn't about to lose myself in conceit.

Facing an opponent like Lu Zhao, any lapse or carelessness would be fatal. Although this sparring match carried no risk to my life, losing too badly could inflict a psychological scar that would be difficult to heal. Therefore, I did not wish to lose, even though I knew I stood no chance of winning.

Long Xin, Long Qi, and the others watched the two figures intently. "Roar!" A sudden burst, like a spring thunderclap, momentarily made Xing Chen's head swim. Taking advantage of Xing Chen’s slight mental lapse, Lu Zhao took a large step forward, and his Overlord's Blade flashed out like lightning.

Swish! A streak of white light shot toward Xing Chen with the speed of lightning. Such incredible velocity and potent Battle Aura!

Even though it was a simple horizontal cut, the majestic, spontaneous Battle Aura energy it carried shocked Long Xin and the others present. Long Zhan, being a warrior himself, was utterly astounded; with his keen sight, he couldn't even track the true form of the blade, illustrating how fast Lu Zhao’s strike was. Xing Chen, though having lost the initiative, showed no signs of panic.

His expression grave, he shifted his weight back slightly while letting out a sharp cry. Wielding the saber with both hands, he executed a diagonal slash, unleashing a fierce saber energy that coiled with a dazzling brilliance of Blazing Fire Sword Aura, striking toward Lu Zhao's right hand, which held the blade. This strike not only evaded Lu Zhao’s attack but also fully exploited the reach advantage of the Hundred Battles Long Saber.

Furthermore, the speed of his strike far surpassed Lu Zhao's, and the angle was ruthlessly precise, making it seem as if Lu Zhao's own striking hand was delivering itself straight to the edge of the Hundred Battles Long Saber. "Well met!" Lu Zhao's expression shifted slightly, his eyes gleaming with extraordinary light. Indeed, this cunning maneuver—advancing while retreating—was utterly unlike any tactic his previous opponents had employed.

An ordinary warrior would have chosen to meet the blow head-on, evade, or counter with an attack. But Xing Chen's integrated offense and defense were unheard of. Yet, with his profound cultivation, Lu Zhao still discerned a weakness in the move.

With a mere flick of his wrist, the massive Overlord's Blade miraculously flipped, turning upside down toward his forearm in a flash of electric light and fire. Clang! A deafening crash echoed as the two weapons met, a sharp grinding of metal that reverberated around them.

Lu Zhao's Overlord's Blade had, under seemingly impossible circumstances, blocked that swift and strange strike. Maintaining its momentum, the blade increased its speed as Lu Zhao closed the distance rapidly. The Overlord's Blade then swept horizontally toward Xing Chen’s waist, while his dense Battle Aura split into three parallel bands of light, like three separate sharp blades striking simultaneously, enveloping Xing Chen’s waist and chest.

Although this counterattack lacked the sheer speed of Xing Chen’s quick blade, its angle and force far exceeded it. Xing Chen had not even managed to recall his slicing strike before Lu Zhao’s attack enveloped his vital areas. "Ah!

This is bad!" Long Zhan and Long Qi shouted out involuntarily from the sidelines. But Xing Chen, to his credit, remained unhurried. He suddenly dropped low, leaning his body back rapidly in a dazzling display of agility.

In a split second, he executed a perfect "Iron Bridge" maneuver, arching his body backward at a ninety-degree angle with astonishing flexibility, narrowly avoiding Lu Zhao's fierce counterattack. Simultaneously, as he bent backward, his left leg snapped out like lightning. His body recoiled like a spring pulled to its absolute limit, shooting backward.

"That was close!" Long Zhan and the others inwardly sighed. But the scene unfolding on the field shocked them anew. Lu Zhao followed with equally swift footwork, keeping pace with Xing Chen’s retreating speed.

The Overlord's Blade descended with terrifying might in a devastating, straight downward chop. If this blow landed, Xing Chen would surely be cleaved in half! "Ah!

No!" Jin Hong and Dong Guan cried out in terror. Hmph! As he retreated, Xing Chen suddenly tapped the tip of his long saber against the ground.

Ding! The saber hit the floor, emitting a spark of starlight. Utilizing the rebound force from the blade against the ground, his straight retreat abruptly and impossibly shifted direction, sliding three feet sideways—just barely evading the powerfully aimed straight chop.

Clash! Lu Zhao’s missed strike slammed heavily into the ground. The terrifying impact smashed a small dent into the hard, high-grade marble floor.

Xing Chen used this instant, while regaining balance, to immediately unleash two consecutive crescent-shaped saber auras. Swish! Swish!

In the blink of an eye, two massive crescent auras shot forward like flying blades. One aimed for Lu Zhao's neck, and the other directly for his lower abdomen. What a sharp counterattack!

Normally, a person losing balance could never launch such swift and fierce retaliation. Yet Xing Chen managed it effortlessly. It was undeniable—the boy’s reflexes and sense of balance were extraordinarily powerful.

Lu Zhao silently praised the move but showed no carelessness. In his eyes now, Xing Chen was no longer a mere Initial Crimson Moon warrior. In the few electrifying exchanges that had just occurred, every move and technique could be described as breathtaking and gripping.

From this, Lu Zhao realized that apart from the disparity in raw power and Battle Aura, Xing Chen was his equal, if not superior, in technique and speed. This discovery filled the martial-arts-obsessed Lu Zhao with both surprise and delight. He was delighted because worthy opponents were rare; at his current level, most people couldn't survive a few moves.

Normally, he didn't get to engage in such thrilling, unrestrained combat. Even across those few exchanges of attack and defense, Xing Chen displayed a completely novel combat methodology, with every move exceeding Lu Zhao’s expectations, causing him great amazement. He was surprised because Xing Chen was still just a young man.

If given a few more years to cultivate, would Lu Zhao still be his match? After all, the path of martial arts relied heavily on comprehension and perseverance. Xing Chen achieving this level so young proved his comprehension and persistence were among the rarest of the rare.

Such individuals often progressed at astonishing speeds. In a few more years, this boy could become the next Long Yuan Fei Xue. Despite his inner shock, Lu Zhao’s movements did not pause.

With a sidestep, Lu Zhao evaded the attack. With his Battle Aura cultivation, he could have easily used his formidable energy to forcibly shatter Xing Chen’s Battle Aura attacks and counter simultaneously. However, that would turn the exchange into one where Lu Zhao relied on brute force to crush Xing Chen’s assault—a display of arrogance that the proud Lu Zhao disliked.

At this moment, Lu Zhao subconsciously controlled his Battle Aura intensity, maintaining it on par with Xing Chen’s. Lu Zhao’s intent was simple: compete with Xing Chen on technique, speed, and awareness. The two crescent saber auras whistled past, grazing his body.

Lu Zhao awaited Xing Chen’s next, even fiercer assault. At this moment, Lu Zhao was only focused on seeing what kind of attack Xing Chen would unleash next, whether it would be equally brilliant, surprising, and spectacular. Victory or defeat had become irrelevant; what mattered was that Xing Chen was now demonstrating a completely new martial discipline to Lu Zhao, a combat philosophy utterly divergent from the traditional martial arts of the Mafa World.

Roar! The moment he launched the two crescent auras, I forcefully arrested my retreat mid-flight. I couldn't let him press the attack further.

The Hundred Battles Saber Technique was not known for its defensive prowess; its characteristic was attack—furious, relentless attack. Thinking of this, I gritted my teeth and, without pause, the instant I stabilized my stance, I launched into my agile footwork, circling Lu Zhao. Simultaneously, I wielded the saber with both hands, unleashing an attack as ferocious as a hurricane.

The sharp saber light carved out arcs of dazzling, unpredictable light, stirring up surges of dense Battle Aura fluctuations, like great waves of the Yangtze River, furiously assaulting Lu Zhao from all sides. From the looks of it, Lu Zhao hadn't anticipated my counterattack would be so swift and sudden. But Lu Zhao was Lu Zhao.

Despite a look of surprise, his Overlord's Blade did not hesitate. The Overlord's Blade spun rapidly, flipping up and down like several fast-moving shields, parrying every one of my quick strikes. In just an instant, the more than thirty lightning-fast blows I launched were all blocked.

This wave of furious attacks severely drained my stamina, so as I launched my final strike, I immediately floated back, creating distance between us. "Hng! Hah!

Hng-hah!" I panted, trying to steady my violently beating heart. Lu Zhao, standing before me, still appeared calm and composed, which greatly surprised me. However, it seemed Lu Zhao had no intention of attacking me.

He wanted to observe my offensive methods. Outside the ring, Long Qi and Long Zhan stared at me tensely. Lu Tong maintained his usual placid expression, occasionally nodding almost imperceptibly, as if gaining some understanding.

It seemed he had grasped the essence of my saber technique. Lu Zhao continued to watch me calmly, showing no intent to attack; his main goal appeared to be testing my fighting style. Thinking this, I decided to go all out.

Since he wanted to see, I would show him everything. I lunged forward again, my Hundred Battles Saber slicing out rapidly in a specific rhythm and frequency. Swish!

Swish! Swish! To the onlookers like Long Xin, all they could see was a sky full of dancing saber shadows.

Xing Chen’s quick strikes were even faster and swifter than before. Each blow seemed to be delivered with maximum exertion, and the attack angles were all incredibly sharp and piercing. Truthfully, Long Xin and the others had only ever seen Xing Chen use the Hundred Battles Long Saber to fight monsters or practice; they had never witnessed him use it against an enemy.

Seeing it now, the astonishing momentum and relentless nature of the attack shocked them. Yet, as they watched, Long Xin and the others began to notice a pattern. Xing Chen cyclically employed just a few core techniques—slashing, chopping, and thrusting.

The movements were surprisingly simple and clean, but combined with his nimble, elusive footwork, impossibly tricky cutting angles, and sheer speed, every strike carried immense destructive force. Furthermore, Xing Chen’s unique two-handed grip on the saber ensured that every attack fully leveraged the added power from his waist, hips, and footwork. In other words, every attack utilized the absolute maximum force he could muster.

Therefore, even though there was a huge gap in their actual strength, Lu Zhao, wielding the saber with one hand, found little advantage against Xing Chen, who fought with two hands, leveraging his footwork and movement. For a time, the battle seemed even, though it was mostly Xing Chen attacking while Lu Zhao defended. Even when Lu Zhao occasionally counterattacked, Xing Chen would evade with light footwork and immediately counter again.

Throughout the entire exchange, Xing Chen never once employed a blocking or parrying defensive maneuver; it seemed he was perpetually on the offensive. In a blink, they exchanged dozens more blows. Clang!

Finally, with a tremendous crash, one of Xing Chen’s heavy, forceful strikes was perfectly blocked by Lu Zhao. The strong rebound force sent Xing Chen flying back over ten meters. Swish!

While airborne, I flipped backward with ease and landed lightly on the ground. I had just exhausted every offensive saber technique I knew. At this point, I truly had no more to offer.

The gap in strength was too obvious. Lu Zhao’s speed might not match mine, but his awareness and technique far surpassed mine. With my current strength, I simply could not breach his defense.

Moreover, I could see he hadn't even unleashed his true power yet. I knew continuing the fight was meaningless. "This is all the offensive saber technique I can use with this blade!" I admitted helplessly.

"But I still couldn't break through your defense. I think there's no need to continue the match." "En," Lu Zhao nodded slightly and looked out toward Lu Tong.