Sword-Nurturing Master

The mission Lin Xuan had accepted was none other than repairing swords, something he was familiar with. It was a Level Four mission: repair three longswords for a total of thirty contribution points, plus twenty Low-Grade Spirit Stones.

Level Four missions were considered quite difficult outside. Moreover, this mission required all three longswords to be repaired before any contribution points could be awarded, so it had sat there unclaimed for a long time. It was just Lin Xuan's lucky break.

When Lin Xuan took the mission token to register, the disciple handling registration gave him two surprised looks and reminded him, "Did you read it clearly? You can only receive the contribution points after repairing all three longswords. Not one less."

"If you damage them beyond repair, you'll have to compensate for them. You'd better think it through." The registration disciple simply did not believe Lin Xuan could repair them. This mission had been sitting here for a long time without anyone taking it, which was enough to show how difficult it was.

Lin Xuan nodded to show that he understood.

The registration disciple said nothing more. Instead, he took out three slightly narrow longswords and handed them to Lin Xuan.

"You can take them back, or you can finish the work here," the registration disciple said.

Lin Xuan gave them a rough look and found the repairs somewhat complicated. He asked, "Senior Brother, are there any other missions like this, involving the repair of weapons?"

"Repair these first." The registration disciple waved him off. "Keep your feet on the ground when you do things!"

Lin Xuan smiled helplessly and carried the three longswords back. Repairing weapons was a technical craft that required certain secret methods. As a disciple of Sword Pool Prefecture, he had studied methods of weapon repair since childhood. Though he could not be called a master, handling matters like these was still within his capabilities.

Sword Pool Prefecture was extremely famous in the Great Xia Kingdom, not only because of its formidable strength, but also because of its ability to repair weapons.

On the Spirit Martial Continent, there was a special profession known as Weapon-Nurturing Masters. Through extraordinary means, they could repair weapons and even increase their power.

Sword Pool Prefecture possessed particular attainments in restoring longswords, so in the Great Xia Kingdom, its people were also called Sword-Nurturing Masters. Within Sword Pool Prefecture stood a massive Sword Pool containing tens of thousands of treasured swords. The Sword-Nurturing Masters worked there every day, and Lin Xuan had practically grown up soaking in the water of the Sword Pool.

Lin Xuan returned to his new residence and shut the door. This was the residential area for outer disciples, where each person had an individual cottage. The furnishings inside were countless times better than those in his former house.

He set the three longswords on the table, took a drink of water, then picked up a dark-red longsword.

Lin Xuan cut his fingertip and used his blood to draw a rune over the crack. Threads of spiritual energy gathered in the air into tiny points of light, converging toward the rune like hundreds of fireflies dancing through the air.

Though it was only a tiny rune, it contained the painstaking efforts of generations unknown. Every half incense stick's worth of time, Lin Xuan redrew it once. After three times, the nick in the dark-red longsword had vanished.

Without pausing, Lin Xuan repaired the remaining two longswords as well. It did not take much time from beginning to end.

However, his face had turned somewhat pale. After all, doing this consumed a great deal of spiritual energy and mental strength.

He sat cross-legged, forming hand seals as he circulated the Eternal Life Art with all his strength. Wisps of spiritual energy cycled endlessly through his body. An hour later, Lin Xuan opened his eyes. He had returned to peak condition.

"Thirty contribution points are in the bag." A faint smile rose at the corner of Lin Xuan's lips as he hoisted the three longswords and headed straight for the Mission Hall.

"What? You finished them? So quickly!" The registration disciple's eyes widened.

After carefully inspecting them once, the registration disciple found nothing wrong.

What the hell? How did this guy repair them? The registration disciple was utterly shaken.

"Senior Brother, are there any more missions like this?"

"There are!" The registration disciple thought for a moment, then said solemnly, "This mission is above Level Four. By rights, it should not be given to outer disciples. But it has been sitting around for too long, so you might as well give it a try."

"What is the reward?" Lin Xuan had only contribution points on his mind.

"One hundred contribution points, plus fifty Low-Grade Spirit Stones," the registration disciple said.

"One hundred!" Lin Xuan cried out, drawing puzzled looks from the surrounding disciples. He quickly lowered his voice. "Senior Brother, are you sure?"

Seeing how nervous Lin Xuan looked, the registration disciple found it rather amusing.

"You needn't be nervous. Other than you, I doubt anyone will take this mission," the registration disciple said. "But there is one thing I must remind you of: this longsword is very valuable. If you are not confident, it would be best not to accept it."

For those hundred contribution points, Lin Xuan said without the slightest hesitation, "I'll take it!"

The registration disciple recorded the information, then carefully brought out a rectangular box.

"This is a Human-Grade Low-Level Treasure Artifact," the registration disciple said as he opened the box.

At the sight of the longsword, Lin Xuan drew a deep breath. Nearly half of the three-foot blade was covered in a brown liquid.

Lin Xuan brought the longsword back and studied it carefully, only to discover that the Human-Grade Low-Level Treasure Artifact was damaged even more severely than he had imagined.

"Looks like I'll need some materials to repair this longsword." Lin Xuan rested his chin on his hand, his expression serious.

"There is a type of Yin-Walking Grass with powerful corrosive properties. It should be able to remove these brown stains." Lin Xuan had an idea and decided to make a trip to the Taihang Mountains tomorrow.

With a plan in mind, Lin Xuan once again threw himself into cultivation. The former Lin Xuan had been unable to open his spiritual veins, so he had no access to the martial arts books in the Lineage. At present, he only had the move Heavenly Meteor, a set of basic sword techniques from the Lineage, and a set of basic footwork.

Basic martial arts had their own advantages. They could be said to be the prototype of all profound martial arts. Take basic sword techniques, for instance: they contained every fundamental movement in sword forms, as well as the correct methods of exerting force.

Lin Xuan quickly immersed himself in practice...

Early the next morning, Lin Xuan set out for the Taihang Mountains.

A gentle breeze drifted through the forest, and the shadows of trees swayed gracefully. Lin Xuan employed the basic footwork beneath his feet, practicing as he traveled.

Yin-Walking Grass grew on the shaded side of mountains, in dark and damp places. Lin Xuan searched one spot after another, but found nothing.

After searching all morning, Lin Xuan still had not found any. He simply sat down on the ground, took out some dry rations, and began eating.

Before long, sounds of fighting came from ahead, faintly accompanied by the roar of a beast. Curious, Lin Xuan moved swiftly toward the source of the sounds.

Whoosh!

Lin Xuan hid in a nearby patch of grass and looked up.

Ahead, there were two groups of people. Between them stood a Blood-Eyed Wolf over two meters long, and fighting it was a lean young man.

Lin Xuan knew this young man. He was Luo Yi, the one who had helped answer his questions.

Luo Yi held a short sword and continuously stabbed at the Blood-Eyed Wolf. On average, one out of every three strikes landed on the wolf. The blood wolf bared its fangs, its sharp claws lashing out again and again, leaving streaks of cold glint in the air.

Lin Xuan watched nervously, but soon discovered in surprise that Luo Yi's footwork seemed somewhat unique.