The moment the sword Changxiangsi settled into Jiang Wang's hand, it was as if a painting sage had laid down the final stroke of a dragon's eye, and the true dragon lifted off the scroll.
Jiang Wang felt that his hand had always been yearning for this sword.
He also felt that this sword had always been yearning for his hand.
In the instant he gripped the sword, he felt his swordsmanship become complete. In that moment, he knew what the sword he had swung in the Heavenly Treasury Secret Realm truly was.
Because that sword had already taken form in his heart.
All his exhaustion vanished in a single sweep.
If not for the Sword Furnace being right there, he would have almost pressed the sword and let out a howl, longing to dance right there on the spot.
It was only at the moment he grasped Changxiangsi—when essence, qi, and spirit merged as one—that the sword was truly forged.
Hm—
Clang!
The sword sang of its own accord.
Changxiangsi's note rang out like a proclamation.
Right at that moment, the enormous Sword Array guarding the Lian family's Sword Furnace shifted.
Countless broken swords emitted sword hums.
As though cheering and rejoicing, yet also unwilling to fade into obscurity.
Sword light like stars, sword light like sparks.
Sword energy pierced the heavens, sword cries echoed in every direction!
The entire Lian clan—no, the entirety of Nanyao City—was thrown into an uproar.
The Sword Array resounded of its own.
This was the sign of a famed weapon's birth.
The histories say: "Only instruments and titles may not be bestowed upon others; they are the sovereign's domain to command."
This means that power alone must never be surrendered to another—the sovereign exercises fortune and authority at personal discretion.
Instruments are the outward form of ceremony; titles are the marks of dignity and rank. Both are expressions of supreme power.
And in the realm of weapon forging, only the finest arms may be bestowed the title of "famed weapon."
They endure through the ages, symbolizing the pinnacle of a weaponsmith's achievement.
Since the Lian clan established Nanyao City, only three famed weapons had ever emerged from the Sword Furnace.
Counting the Saber Furnace and the Spear Furnace—the Lian clan possessed only these three ancient furnaces.
And those forged in other, non-ancient furnaces.
Over several centuries, only twelve famed weapons had been produced.
Those twelve famed weapons alone made the Lian clan one of the five great holy seats of the weaponsmiths.
And now, a third famed weapon had appeared from the Sword Furnace—the Lian clan's thirteenth famed weapon!
The entire city erupted!
Just after the famed weapon's birth and the Sword Array's self-resonance.
Lian Que suddenly burst into hearty laughter, his joy unrestrained.
His essence, qi, and spirit were crystallized to an extraordinary degree at that moment, his whole being like a blazing furnace, his aura surging forth with explosive vigor.
Over there, the Sword Furnace's flames had also risen, as if answering him in kind.
Behind him, a gateway manifested in the void.
It was the Gate of Heaven and Earth!
Outsiders could only vaguely perceive it.
Most of the time, only the individual themselves could see the Gate of Heaven and Earth clearly.
At that moment, the gateway burst wide open with a thunderous roar!
Vital energy surged and boiled, as though it were burning.
It was as though an eternal furnace had been kindled inside Lian Que's body.
He had seized the opportunity of forging a famed weapon to push open the Gate of Heaven and Earth in a single stroke!
Jiang Wang, standing nearby, faintly heard the sound of a dragon's cry.
That was Lian Que having crossed the barrier between heaven and earth, his Dao Vein soaring like a dragon, the dragon entering the sea of the torso.
The human body possesses four seas. The Spinal Sea is the first sea, and when the Dao Vein and the Spinal Sea overlap, the first sea is directly called the Tongtian Palace. Of course, the Tongtian Palace would "soar as a dragon" and depart, swimming into the second sea.
The Torso Sea is the second sea, also known as the Five Organs Palace.
This realm was the Soaring Dragon Realm. When a cultivator reached this stage, it was like a divine dragon ascending from the abyss.
Those as powerful as Wang Yiwu, who considered the Gate of Heaven and Earth too fragile, were rare exceptions.
Generally speaking, the stronger the person, the harder the Gate of Heaven and Earth was to open.
Lian Que had originally thought he would need another two years of tempering, never expecting to succeed in a single day.
Just as he had only wanted to pour everything he had into forging a sword for Jiang Wang, seeking nothing more than to owe no man—never imagining he would forge a famed weapon.
This Changxiangsi had not only drawn every ounce of effort from Lian Que, but had also fully embodied Jiang Wang's essence, qi, and spirit.
Lian Que looked at Changxiangsi in Jiang Wang's hand, then finally glanced at Jiang Wang and said: "Whatever happens next, don't be surprised. It's all perfectly normal."
Before Jiang Wang could process what he meant, Lian Que formed a hand seal and threw the entire Sword Array wide open!
When they had entered earlier, only a narrow path had been opened. But now Lian Que unfurled the whole array—though the swords stood like a forest, they no longer blocked the view.
And so, the entire Sword Furnace—including Lian Que and Jiang Wang standing before it—was instantly laid bare before a sea of staring eyes.
"Lian Que!"
"Young Master Lian Que!"
"Brother Que! Over here!"
"Que'er! It's Que'er! What an achievement—what a magnificent achievement!"
Nanyao City was a city of weaponsmiths.
The birth of a famed weapon was the grandest event the entire city could witness.
Aside from those truly unable to break free, nearly everyone had gathered near the Lian residence. Even if they couldn't see the famed weapon itself, they wanted to share in its blessing.
And those privileged enough to crowd around the Sword Furnace were, naturally, members of the Lian clan.
A glance revealed nothing but heads. What filled the ears were nothing but praises.
It was as though all the scorn and mockery Lian Que had endured within the clan before were nothing but a shattered dream, a bursting bubble.
Lian Que, riding the momentum of his Dao Vein's soaring dragon and the prestige of forging a legendary sword, cupped his fists and bowed in all directions.
He was straightforward and not one for eloquence, but the elation of vindication was impossible to hide.
After spending this time together, Jiang Wang had come to know Lian Que much better.
This fellow's status within the Lian clan was about the same as Chongxuan Sheng's standing in his own family—both were direct-line heirs of the main branch, yet neither was the first in the line of succession.
Compared to Chongxuan Sheng, Lian Que harbored no ambition. He was consumed entirely by the art of forging and had little interest in anything else, which in turn made his life somewhat easier.
But some things—his lack of desire to compete didn't mean others would rest easy about him.
Just like how he had gone to the Heavenly Treasury Secret Realm purely seeking a breakthrough, only to fall into a maelstrom of public opinion the moment he returned in failure.
Now, however, having forged Changxiangsi, his position was essentially secured.
If he truly set his sights on the clan head's seat, his chances would have increased greatly. For a man of his temperament, the consequences were hard to predict.
At that moment, the crowd parted, and a tall, ruddy-faced elder strode through, followed by a grand entourage.
Lian Que bowed respectfully: "Clan Head!"
As Lian Que's friend, Jiang Wang followed suit with a proper bow.
"Well, well! Little Que'er has done well!"
Lian Zhuping, the current clan head of the Lian family, praised in his booming voice. He then turned to Jiang Wang—though most of his attention was fixed on Changxiangsi in Jiang Wang's hand: "This must be your friend Jiang Wang?"
Without waiting for Jiang Wang's reply, he offered another compliment: "Splendid. Divine abilities are within reach—a young hero, no less! This sword is not disgraced."
Jiang Wang could only reply modestly: "You flatter me."
"Come, hand it over." Lian Zhuping extended his hand—his hand was large-boned and looked tremendously powerful.
"This..." Seeing the old man's gaze, which looked as though he might devour Changxiangsi whole, Jiang Wang couldn't help but tighten his grip on the sword.
"Don't worry, he's not stealing your sword." Lian Que nudged him from the side and whispered a reminder: "After a sword is forged, it still needs to be wrapped with cord, adorned with tassels, and fitted with a scabbard. Then it must be presented to the ancestors and declared to heaven. Only after that full ceremony is the forging truly complete. Only then will this sword return to your hands."
"Ah, all that trouble?" Jiang Wang's face was a picture of reluctance.
In his mind, he would simply take the sword and leave. Wrap the cord himself, tie the tassels himself, fit the scabbard himself—why waste any more time here?
Those old Lian clan elders, the way they looked at Changxiangsi—every last one of them had something off about their gaze.
"Just hand it over when you're told! What's with all the chatter? A sword this conspicuous—where would it run off to?"
The kid was acting like a miser. If not for the crowd watching, Lian Que would have been sorely tempted to kick him.
An ordinary sword certainly wouldn't require such ceremony. But this was a famed weapon—a blade destined to be renowned across the kingdoms. How could they not make a grand affair of it?
Of course, Lian Que also wanted to let him witness what the Soaring Dragon Realm looked like.
Otherwise, there might never be another chance like this. Once Jiang Wang also opened the Gate of Heaven and Earth, relying on the divine abilities he had long since sensed, he would likely knock open the Inner Palace before long.
Since Lian Que had already spoken, Jiang Wang—though loath to part with it—handed over the Changxiangsi he had barely had time to warm in his hands.
Don't let Lian Zhuping's advanced age fool you—the man was remarkably nimble. He took Changxiangsi, spun around, and vanished without a trace.
"Hey, wait—ah!"
Jiang Wang grew anxious.
"It's fine, it's fine. He went to the ancestral hall." Lian Que patted his shoulder reassuringly. "You'll have to work hard from now on. The future of Changxiangsi depends on your future."
After days of working side by side to forge the sword, the two had grown quite close.
Lian Que's voice brimmed with anticipation: "I wonder if it'll ever make it onto the Famed Weapon Registry—and what rank it will hold!"