Volume One: The King's Command Chapter 85: The Jade Radiance Forms at Midnight

Master Cai had worked in the forging trade for many years, yet he had never seen a blueprint so vague. The sketch upon the page was crooked and rough, lacking even the most basic structural divisions—nothing more than the simplest outline of a sword. And this was the fruit of Liu Xiaoyi's labor, the result of many sleepless nights by lamplight. Drawing was far from his skill; he gripped the awkward brush with care, relying solely on memory to reproduce each line—a feeling altogether different from his martial training.

His unseen eyes blinked symbolically as he drew near the design, running his hand along the paper. “I do have materials that can channel soul power, but they don’t come cheap.”

“Price is no object, so long as the blade can contain soul power,” Liu Xiaoyi replied, unfazed by matters of money—with plenty of supplies at his disposal, he could always requisition what he needed.

Master Cai shook his head. “It’s not money I want. Help me refine this piece of metal, and that will suffice.” He rummaged through the ashes and produced a square chunk of metal, tossing it to Liu Xiaoyi.

“As long as you refine it down to a sphere the size of an apple, your sword will be ready.”

“That’s easy enough. Watch me.” Without delay, Liu Xiaoyi summoned his true energy to envelop the metal, but it was as if the power vanished into the void—the metal remained unmoved.

Could it be magic, then? He tried channeling his arcane force, but there was still no effect. Master Cai, busy selecting forging materials, looked over and chuckled, “You must use soul power to refine it—otherwise, where’s the challenge?”

Ordinary folk did not cultivate the soul; their soul power grew naturally, and throughout a lifetime, only a scant amount was gained. Some practitioners, however, specialized in the soul, and the strongest could let their souls roam the world, detached from the flesh.

Items infused with soul were never cheap, and only cultivators ever sought them out. Master Cai had spent a long time gathering the necessary materials before retreating to his inner chamber to stoke the forge.

Old Li accompanied them for a while, then rose to take his leave. “I won’t impose further. There’s work to be done at home. General Liu, be patient—Master Cai’s craftsmanship is beyond reproach.”

Once he had gone, Little Jin leapt out, clutching the metal tightly in his forepaws. As he did so, a green beam shot from his vertical pupils and fell upon the metal, which began to melt before their eyes.

“So the Soul-Guiding Divine Light can arouse soul power. Let me try as well.” This little beast seemed to know methods Liu Xiaoyi had never learned. When the Divine Light was absorbed, it could be released through the eyes, but aside from enhanced vision, he hadn’t discovered other uses.

As for how to release soul power, Liu Xiaoyi was utterly clueless. In the arts of cultivation, he was less than a novice, relying on improvisation alone. Fortunately, his efforts seemed to yield results.

His eyes flickered with light. He could sense the response from the divine light within his mind-sea. Driven by his soul, his eyes glowed emerald green, and two beams of light streamed onto the metal, causing it to melt even faster.

Inside, Master Cai lit the forge, uncorked a gourd of spirits, took a deep draught, and spat a mouthful at the flames, which roared higher. His foot worked the bellows, fanning the fire into a frenzy.

He gripped tongs, arranging the materials one by one. When the flames burned blue, he began, standing firm, hands steady as he controlled the distance between metal and fire. As the metal glowed red-hot, he drew a pouch from his chest and sprinkled powder onto the surface.

The powder sizzled and spat upon contact, leaving mottled marks and cooling the metal rapidly. Taking advantage of the pause, he spat another mouthful of spirits to intensify the blaze.

This process was repeated again and again for over three hours before Master Cai, finally showing signs of fatigue, set down the bellows. He hefted his hammer and placed the metal upon the anvil, pounding it with rhythmic strikes.

A lack of proper blueprints was no obstacle for a seasoned artisan. Master Cai shaped the sword according to the ideal in his mind, watching as the metal gradually took on the form of a blade under his hammer—a romance known only to the smith.

The heat in the room was stifling; sweat streamed down Master Cai’s brow, pooling at his feet, yet his hands never faltered. He continued to hammer with measured precision.

With each strike, the sword’s form became more distinct. When the red glow finally faded, a sword as dark as ink, without a sheen, lay before him. The old man nodded, satisfied, and began a second round of hammering.

He repeated the process seven times, as was his custom—such was the secret to his blades’ endurance. Yet tonight, he decided to attempt something new: he would hammer this sword nine times.

By the eighth cycle, any remaining impurities were stubborn. Even as Master Cai swung harder, the sword barely responded.

“This will take some effort. For Old Li’s sake, I’ll show what I can really do!”

Huffing and puffing, Master Cai threw his weight behind the hammer. The sword shuddered, shedding the last of its dross.

Another hour passed before the sword was finally forged. Only a round hollow at the hilt remained, leaving the weapon incomplete.

“How did your refining go?” Master Cai lifted the curtain and stepped outside, finding Liu Xiaoyi sipping tea, idly rolling a polished metal sphere in his hand.

“I did not fail you. Master, you’ve worked hard—come, have some tea.” With Little Jin’s help, Liu Xiaoyi had refined the metal sphere to its utmost limit two hours prior; no matter how much soul power he exerted, he could not compress it further.

This material was truly wondrous. Master Cai took the sphere, pressed it into the hollow of the hilt—it fit perfectly, locking into place.

In an instant, green veins spread from the orb, snaking across the entire blade. A phantom of a great tree erupted from the sword, its image piercing the roof and soaring skyward.

It lasted barely a moment, a flash of spirit light, but it was enough to draw the attention of everyone for miles around. This courtyard had just become perilous—such a light could only mean a treasure of great value.

Tears streamed down Master Cai’s cheeks as he held the sword tightly to his chest, choked with emotion.

A smith who devoted his life to cold iron could only rarely produce such a piece—these works were more fate than design. Every sword he had forged before had been a prelude to this one.

“Perfection! Pure perfection! General Liu, please name this sword!” Master Cai, trembling, presented the sword to Liu Xiaoyi. The moment Liu Xiaoyi’s hand touched the blade, a green radiance enveloped them both, pushing Master Cai a full ten feet away.

Only artifacts with true spirit could protect their master—clearly, this sword had reached the level of sentience. Instead of anger, Master Cai’s delight grew even greater.

To have forged a sentient weapon—beyond the walls of Flame City, his name would surely be renowned.

“This sword suits me far better than the one I wielded before. May I try it?” Liu Xiaoyi gripped the blade, excitement in his voice. From the moment it settled in his hand, it felt as if the sword was not an object but an extension of his own arm.

He stepped into the courtyard, where, with practiced ease, he performed the entire Frostfall Sword Technique from start to finish. The air brimmed with a murderous energy; the green light flickered along the blade, mesmerizing and lethal. Even Master Cai, watching from the doorway, could feel its power.

“The finest marvel lies in this sword’s ability to cut through the spirit itself and draw forth the Soul-Guiding Divine Light!” Liu Xiaoyi slashed, and the divine light coursed from his soul, through the hilt, and into the blade, striking the ground and vaporizing earth and stone.

“General Liu, your swordsmanship is superb. Please, name the sword, so I may record it in my register.”

It was an unwritten rule among smiths: when a sentient weapon was forged, its image was to be traced and reported to their guild for ranking.

“Let it be called Verdant Radiance. It fits my heart. Master Cai, you are truly the great master of Flame City—your skills are indeed extraordinary!”

Master Cai flushed at the praise, though he knew the sword’s power was not entirely his doing. The metal capable of storing soul power was the true key; the more soul power used in its forging, the mightier the resulting weapon. With Liu Xiaoyi’s Soul-Guiding Divine Light, the soul power was unparalleled, making this sword so astonishing.

With Master Cai’s red-hot needle inscribing the name “Verdant Radiance” on the hilt, and a rubbing taken of both sides of the blade, the sky was already growing light—a whole night spent forging a single sword.

Meanwhile, dark figures flickered atop the walls surrounding the courtyard. But seeing Liu Xiaoyi’s mastery of the sword, they hesitated to descend.

All had come with thoughts of plunder, but after witnessing his skill, none dared to act rashly. Each waited, hoping another would take the first risk.

Just then, the main gate swung open, and a burly giant entered. He barely took a few steps before seeing Liu Xiaoyi with sword in hand, Master Cai squatting across the yard. With a roar, the giant charged, drawing a broadsword the size of a door from his back.

Startled, Liu Xiaoyi instinctively raised his sword to block, his whole body cast into shadow by the giant. In a flash, the heavy blade crashed onto Verdant Radiance.

But the giant was sent flying even faster than his attack, smashing into the courtyard wall and bringing down a section of the mud-brick barrier. Master Cai’s joy vanished; grabbing a wooden staff, he strode over and struck the man’s leg.

“Out carousing all night, and you come home only to cause trouble!”

“Father, don’t hit me! It’s a misunderstanding!” The giant scrambled out of the rubble, covered in dust. “I thought he was here for a fight, so I attacked. But this fellow is amazing! What sword technique was that?”