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The depth and intricacy of the runes one could carve, as well as one's control over complex and fine rune engraving, were all closely tied to the strength of one's Dao body. What a fourth-grade Dao body could accomplish was that Meng Zhiqiu had carved onto it runes that only a third-grade Dao body could normally engrave. Aside from extremely precise technique, this also required tremendous experience and profound magical power. Compared with those who relied on their own Dao bodies to force their way upward, Meng Zhiqiu was clearly a rare talent.
The sword was a fine one. It had a powerful feel in my hand, and the steady surge of amplified strength gave me a measure of confidence. With the deadline already drawing near, I did not bother testing the sword carefully before calling over the examiner to inspect it.
This time, Prince Changsheng was supervising, so the examiners from the Office of Weapons naturally did not dare cause trouble now. They cheerfully announced that Meng Zhiqiu had completed the sword's manufacture, then began announcing that the sword testers were entering the Mountains and Seas Realm one after another. They took their marked positions and made brief preparations, waiting for the order to begin.
During the brief intervals as they entered, I glanced back toward the spectator stands. The Zhu Household seemed to notice me looking their way and immediately opened the privacy partition of their box. Zhu Daoqing greeted me before signaling to his mother, Chu Yan, to look over. The two sisters quietly watched the match as well, and when they saw me looking over, they waved at me repeatedly.
I smiled calmly, while Chu Yan seemed somewhat worried about whether I could win. After all, she had staked her entire fortune on me. If