When Mo Shisan heard Xu Yunfan wanted to compete in professional knowledge, he was instantly defiant. But then he suddenly recalled how Xu Yunfan had explored every inch of Celestial Craft City back when it was still the Celestial Craft Fortress.

The thought made his spirits sink. To this day, many disciples from the Mechanical Hall and the Celestial Craft Department still consulted Xu Yunfan about some of the more obscure mechanisms within Celestial Craft City.

"Bring me my Star-Breaking Crossbow!"

With a roar that shook the air, Hong Baichuan stomped onto the ramparts in a few strides. When he saw the Demon Tiger below, relentlessly destroying the Blazing Fire Crossbows, he instantly abandoned any thought of rushing down for close combat, bringing his charge to a dead stop.

’That thing looks absolutely terrifying. Best to keep my distance.’

’Who knows if this Demon Fiend is covered in some deadly poison? Its aura doesn’t seem that strong, but this is the first time I’ve ever encountered a Demon Fiend. There’s no harm in being cautious.’

He tore open his robes, baring his torso and revealing incredibly well-toned muscles.

The muscles on Sect Leader Hong’s arms bulged like the gnarled roots of an old tree. He single-handedly hoisted a Mechanical Bed Crossbow that normally required a complex series of gears to be wound and operated.

Xu Yunfan recognized it as Celestial Craft City’s "Shattering Mountain" model. It was exceptionally difficult to manufacture. A little over two months ago, a single bolt from one had pierced the Heavy Armor of a Blood Exchange Realm master from the Sacred Incense Sect, pinning him to the ground.

If not for the exceedingly powerful Life Force of a Blood Exchange Realm master, the Sacred Incense Sect would have lost a great general.

The bowstring’s hum vibrated loose flecks of brick from the wall. The instant the three-foot Meteor Iron Arrow left the string, the Demon Tiger’s iron-hard right claw suddenly swiped forward, generating a three-foot cyan aura that instantly collided with the flying bolt.

Sparks from the impact of metal on metal illuminated the city wall. The arrowhead and the cyan aura were locked in a stalemate in mid-air, and the resulting gust of force knocked over the three Mechanical Beasts below that were attempting to close in.

In the end, the Demon Tiger wrenched the Meteor Iron Arrow aside, sending it careening into a distant mountainside where it vanished completely.

"Vicious beast!"

Hong Baichuan’s eyes flew wide with fury. Just as he was about to draw the second bowstring, a clear, piercing sword cry suddenly split the air from the northwest.

A Swordsman in white robes drifted in, stepping on the wreckage of the Mechanical Beasts. The Jade Token at his waist was engraved with the seal script for "Sword Pavilion."

Xu Yunfan noticed the man’s footwork subtly followed the patterns of the Nine Palaces and Eight Trigrams. Each step landed precisely on the dead angles of the mechanical hubs, a precaution against any sudden movements from the disabled Mechanical Beasts.

"Pei Yan of the Great Zhou Sword Pavilion. I have come to slay this fiend."

As he spoke, his Cyan Bamboo Sword Scabbard cracked and split apart, revealing the narrow, shimmering blade within, as clear as autumn waters.

The Tiger Demon seemed to sense the crisis. Its iron-hard spine suddenly arched, and the half of its head that was visible over the wall immediately whipped around.

Seeing this, Xu Yunfan subconsciously loosened his grip on his hammer’s handle.

But with a flick of his wrist, Pei Yan’s blade flashed like a silver serpent, its three-foot Sword Aura instantly piercing into the Demon Tiger’s body.

Xu Yunfan saw it clearly. With every tremor of the sword’s tip, it struck the junctures of the Demon Tiger’s muscles and tendons. After thirteen crisp cracks, the connections in many parts of the giant tiger’s body snapped one after another.

The Tiger Demon staggered back seven steps, its paws plowing sparks from the stonework of the wall.

But Pei Yan moved like a shadow, his sword’s edge always three inches from its throat.

Xu Yunfan suddenly realized this Swordsman’s breathing technique was extraordinary. Each breath he took was perfectly synchronized with the rhythm of the gears in the Mechanical Beast wreckage, as if he had transformed the entire battlefield into an extension of his own lungs.

"Now!"

At the instant the sword’s light flared, the Tiger Demon’s left claw—a Cyan Nether Blade—shot up. An untold number of Wind Blades, condensed from visibly compressed air, erupted, each capable of piercing stone and metal with ease.

They shot out like a torrential downpour, but Pei Yan had already spun away a half-step earlier. His figure was like a falling leaf, drifting with the wind, untouched by the storm.

The Cyan Bamboo Sword in Pei Yan’s hand pierced the Demon Tiger’s throat as easily as stabbing through tofu.

And so, the Great Demon Fiend—which, because of the Ginseng Doll, had been forced into the world prematurely without gathering enough Demon Qi—died an ignominious death under the blade of a mere Martial Artist.

As the killing blow landed, the last grain of sand fell through the hourglass on the city wall.

’A Divine Weapon!’

’A master at the Flesh Refining Realm.’

’You’d only know who’d win if we fought.’

’And to think he could make a Divine Weapon acknowledge him as its master at such a Realm...’

A glint flashed in Xu Yunfan’s eyes. He stared at the Longsword at Pei Yan’s waist for a long moment, then, when no one was looking, he slipped off the city wall. He planned to make a mad dash for the Earth Fire Room of the Weapon Casting Hall; he had urgent matters to attend to and couldn’t afford to linger on the wall.

In a spot no one was watching, Qi Huan quietly observed Xu Yunfan’s rapidly departing figure, his gaze fixed on an object concealed by Xu Yunfan’s clothes.

His fingers trembled uncontrollably, and the veins on his neck pulsed.

’What’s inside there... it’s vital to him!’

Pei Yan’s movement as he sheathed his sword was as smooth as flowing water. Only an expert like Xu Yunfan could see that the little finger of his sword hand was twitching faintly. The technique he had just used, "River Diversion and Flow Interruption," had actually exhausted all the fine motor control in his hand. It was only due to his superlative Swordsmanship that he could kill the Demon Tiger so gracefully with just a few thrusts.

Hong Baichuan clapped his hands and laughed heartily. "A magnificent ’Star Pointing Nineteen Swords’! If Meng Tianjiao could see this from beyond the grave, he’d surely regret refusing the Sword Pavilion’s invitation all those years ago. With Nephew Pei here, it seems the Sword Pavilion’s traveling representative for this era is truly the finest of the younger generation."

Pei Yan lowered his gaze to his Cyan Bamboo Sword Scabbard, the pad of his thumb stroking a shallow scratch left by the tiger’s claws and the compressed wind. While the scabbard was no Divine Weapon, it was undoubtedly a Treasure Artifact capable of nurturing the blade within.

His heart ached at the damage, but on his face, Pei Yan wore a smile.

"Sect Leader Hong, you flatter this junior."

He turned to look at the Tiger Demon’s corpse below. The morning light refracted off his Sword Pavilion Jade Token, creating a halo of seven stars.

"When Elder Meng defeated the Three States Water Bandits with his Cyan Nether Sword, this junior had not even begun his training. I was only able to slay this beast today because your esteemed sect’s Mechanical Beasts had already drained seventy percent of its ferocity."

"Ah, no need for such modesty, Nephew Pei. Each generation of the Sword Pavilion is stronger than the last. With the Heaven and Earth Primordial Spirit beginning to recover, you will likely break through to the next Realm soon. By comparison, we here at the Celestial Craft Cave are sorely lacking in new blood."

Seeing Hong Baichuan’s wistful expression, Pei Yan, who after all had the temperament of a young man, couldn’t help but let a smile touch his lips. The praise soothed the ache in his heart over his damaged Sword Scabbard.

"You are too kind, Sect Leader Hong. This junior merely had the advantage of a Divine Weapon. Otherwise, killing this Demon Fiend would have been a much greater struggle. In fact, my purpose in coming to the Celestial Craft Cave today is to request a weapon, though I feel I’m showing off meager skills before the true masters."

"Nonsense. Nephew Pei possesses an Innate Sword Bone. Being acknowledged by a Divine Weapon is a testament to your own ability..."

"..."

A faint tremor ran through the green bricks below the wall. As the Blazing Fire Crossbows were being put away, Xu Yunfan was passing the drainage sluice of the western barbican.

He tilted his head back, looking up at the thirty-zhang-high city wall. The sound of their laughter and conversation from beneath the glazed-tile eaves drifted down on the morning breeze.

’Sword Pavilion’s representative... finest of the younger generation... heh...’

Xu Yunfan didn’t really have much of a reaction. His mind was entirely focused on getting to the Weapon Casting Platform in the Earth Fire Room. The moment the heels of his boots crossed the boundary of the city wall, he became a blur, streaking toward the Earth Fire Room in the west, which was constructed from basalt.

The Foundry Hall Disciples guarding the Earth Fire Room only felt a wave of heat flash past their throats. By the time they reached for the bronze warning bells at their waists, they discovered that the three Meteor Iron Door Bolts had already been thrown.

"It’s me."

Xu Yunfan’s voice came through, causing the disciples at the Weapon Casting Platform to pause.

The three-hundred-zhang spiral iron staircase became a long, fiery whip beneath Xu Yunfan’s feet.

The further down he went, the more the soles of his Profound Iron Boots began to glow red. Even through three layers of treated cowhide, he could feel the licking flames of the deep Earth Fire.