Three days flew by, and Mingye finally understood the point of connection between the breathing method and his original Demon Power cultivation. He needed to find a point of resonance!
Only through this point of resonance could he accelerate both the accumulation of Demon Power and its qualitative transformation!
Mingye had studied it constantly over those three days, finally discovering this point the night before.
With this method, his Demon Power would grow faster than ever, and its strength would rival that of demons who had cultivated far longer!
"Lord Mingye, your Thunder Sword has been successfully forged. Please come and retrieve it yourself."
Hairinbō emerged from the sword-forging pool, stopped several yards away, and bowed.
What incredible progress! His aura has grown so much stronger...
Hairinbō was astonished. This was the first time he had seen a demon improve so quickly.
They had been apart for only three days, yet Mingye's aura had undergone such an enormous change.
Hairinbō's manner grew even more respectful, awe showing on his face. He had a feeling that this demon had the potential to become a true Greater Yokai!
"Mm. Let's go."
Mingye opened his eyes, his gaze so sharp that it seemed capable of seeing through Hairinbō's thoughts.
He rose calmly and headed toward the sword-forging pool behind the mountain.
"Lord Mingye, your Evil Sword will take roughly seven days to forge."
On the way, Hairinbō volunteered how long it would take to forge the Evil Sword. Forging the Thunder Sword had taken three days, but he had only managed that by working himself to the bone, barely resting as he melted down and reforged the Five Thunder Finger.
The Evil Sword would use the remains of numerous demons as its materials and demand even more effort. Naturally, he could not finish it so quickly.
"Seven days..."
Mingye's eyes flickered, and he nodded slightly. Though he knew nothing about forging weapons, he understood that processing so many materials would take a long time.
Only a master swordsmith like Hairinbō could shorten that to seven days.
Seeing that Mingye was not angry, Hairinbō let out a small sigh of relief.
Mingye's presence was simply too oppressive. Even standing beside him left Hairinbō struggling to breathe.
Neither spoke for the rest of the journey.
Mingye had no interest in chatting with the fellow anyway. He was circulating his blood and vital energy to strengthen his body.
He never wasted a moment when he had time to spare. Besides, the feeling of growing stronger was deeply satisfying to Mingye!
Hairinbō accompanied him along the way, feeling utterly uncomfortable. Several times, he wanted to speak but could not decide whether he should.
Fortunately, the sword-forging pool behind the mountain was not far away. A wave of heat struck them head-on, and the air grew noticeably hotter. It was a dry, lifeless place where not a blade of grass grew.
Such heat naturally had little effect on Mingye. His Demon Power surged gently, enveloping his body in freezing air and keeping him pleasantly cool.
Mountain Ogre lay beside the sword-forging pool. Upon seeing Mingye arrive, he hurried to rise, his movements shaking the ground and sending rocks tumbling down the mountainside.
"Master!"
Mountain Ogre dropped to one knee and bowed his head respectfully.
Mingye nodded faintly, his gaze turning toward the center of the enormous sword-forging pool-or, more precisely, toward the sword embedded there!
Chains stretched across it from east to west. Flames took the shape of serpents, spewing scorching breath as they performed the final tempering.
Hairinbō unleashed all his methods. Terrifying tempering flames engulfed the sword, yet could not conceal its keen edge!
Boom!
The sword within the flames suddenly erupted with violent golden lightning. Serpents of electricity roamed through the sword-forging pool, throwing up molten flames more than ten feet high!
"The Thunder Sword is complete! Lord Mingye, please!"
Hairinbō withdrew his techniques. Now Mingye needed to refine the Thunder Sword himself.
"Good!"
Mingye stepped into the air, his figure abruptly appearing at the center of the sword-forging pool. As he reached out, the Thunder Sword shot skyward, moving as swiftly as a true bolt of lightning!
Mingye took another step, his body shooting higher. In the blink of an eye, he caught the soaring Thunder Sword!
The Thunder Sword possessed a spirit. After the Five Thunder Finger had been melted down and reforged, the many wills within it had become a new spirit.
"You're nothing but a sword... settle down!"
The instant Mingye gripped the Thunder Sword, it attacked him furiously. Violent lightning burst from its blade and swept over his body.
Yet as the lightning struck him, a layer of incredibly hard ice blocked its violent power.
With only the lightning stored in the blade and no one else's Demon Power to replenish it, this lightning could not break through Mingye's ice armor.
His Demon Power surged forth, carrying the force of his formidable will as it ruthlessly suppressed the spirit within the Thunder Sword!
The lightning gradually faded. The Thunder Sword in his hand stopped thrashing, completely subdued.
Holding the Thunder Sword, Mingye could clearly sense that it was far stronger than the Five Thunder Finger alone. Other materials had been added to the blade.
As a top-tier swordsmith, Hairinbō possessed a considerable stock of forging materials. While refining the Thunder Sword, he had added quite a few items from his own collection.
That was what made the Thunder Sword even more powerful. Clearly, Hairinbō truly wanted to forge an unparalleled blade!
"Only Lord Mingye could wield such a fine sword!"
Hairinbō voiced his praise. This was a world where the strong devoured the weak, and he had no one to rely on. Now that he had met Mingye, he had begun to consider following him.
"Does this sword have a name?"
Mingye stroked the blade, thoroughly pleased, as he asked.
"The sword is named Thunder Rage!" Hairinbō answered loudly.
It was perfectly natural for a swordsmith to name his sword.
"Thunder Rage! The wrath of lightning... good!"
Mingye nodded slightly. Thunder Sword, Thunder Rage, truly possessed the might of roaring thunder.
He looked up into the sky. Thick clouds blanketed the area. The Thunder Sword's birth had stirred an anomaly in heaven and earth, affecting the weather for dozens of miles around.
Mingye turned the Thunder Sword and poured his Demon Power into the Thunder Rage Sword. The blade roared with explosive thunder, and lightning filled the space for hundreds of feet around him, engulfing the area!
He raised the sword and slashed toward the sky. A golden arc of lightning instantly tore through the air. No current could hinder that supreme lightning slash!
The immense sword light cleaved the wind and split the clouds!
"The sky... split open?!"
Hairinbō stared, dumbfounded. The power of that strike was terrifying beyond measure. It seemed to have cut open the very sky!
Mountain Ogre trembled in fright. The sight was far too horrifying.
His enormous body curled in on itself. A slash like that would instantly reduce even his mountain-sized frame to dust.
It was too terrifying!
"Not bad!"
Mingye nodded in satisfaction. Hairinbō truly lived up to his reputation as the swordsmith who had forged powerful weapons such as the Heaven-and-Earth Long Sword and Tōkijin in the original story.
He was confident that the Thunder Sword was no weaker than any sword in Tōga's hands!
"You truly are a top-tier swordsmith. Hairinbō, you've done well!"
With this sword, Mingye's strength had skyrocketed at a terrifying rate, granting him tremendous destructive power!
"As long as you're satisfied!"
Hairinbō came to his senses, stepped forward, and produced a pitch-black scabbard.
"My lord, this is the Thunder Rage Sword's scabbard."
He had prepared everything thoroughly. Even without being instructed to make a scabbard, he had already finished one.
"Good."
Mingye took the scabbard, sheathed the Thunder Sword, and patted Hairinbō on the shoulder.
"I trust the Evil Sword will be no less impressive."
"Rest assured. I'll forge you the strongest Evil Sword!"
Hairinbō spoke confidently, and he had every reason to. When it came to forging evil weapons, he was surely the finest in the world.
Mingye nodded, acknowledging Hairinbō's skill as a swordsmith.
After giving him a few more instructions, Mingye left the sword-forging pool.
Before you continue