Qin Tiexin lay down and sat up again.
The bruised area on his back was sore, but what kept him awake was another thing - the look in Li Yun's eyes when he left. It was so hot that it seemed to burn someone through. It wasn't hatred, it was shame, it was annoyance, it was the threat of "you wait".
Forget it. He rubbed his chest, but the pain was still there.
Why are you thinking about that? Why not think about how today's battle was fought.
He closed his eyes, and the scenes of five battles came to mind. The first, second, third, fourth... all were fine. Until the fifth battle, the aqua blue ribbon seemed to come alive, tumbling back and forth in his mind, lingering on.
When fighting against the blue-shirted sword cultivator, he was indeed passive, but the reason for his passiveness was not his speed. The opponent's sword tip always stabbed in places he didn't expect - the wrist, elbow bend, and behind the knee, all blind spots that the sword could not cover. Every time he blocked, he only moved after the sword tip was pointed there. The reason why he was able to withstand it was because the opponent's cultivation was not enough, and the sword was not strong enough to break the flesh. But what about someone with a higher cultivation level?
He thought of the opponent's sword stab at his wrist - he was halfway swinging his arm and had no time to change his move. It was not a matter of speed, but of prediction. His shoulder moved first, which was equivalent to telling the opponent where to hide.
Close your eyes and re-simulate it in your mind - if you could suppress your shoulders and wait for the opponent to draw the sword before moving, what would be the result? Take three swords, and then switch to one. Is it worth it? It is.
He had been thinking about Li Yun's silk ribbon for the longest time.
The knife kept cutting, not because the material was hard, but because it was not strenuous at all. When the knife went down, the force was removed, like cutting into water. She rushed over and took so many blows before she got close. But if the other party had a higher level of cultivation, the wall of water might not be broken. If she had reacted faster and stepped back while rushing past, she would still be unable to touch him.
Is there any way to force her to get close before she gets entangled?
He thought for a long time and suddenly thought of something - when his left leg was entangled and he rushed forward with all his strength, Li Yun's expression changed. It wasn't because he was afraid, but because he didn't expect it.
No one thought that someone would be entangled and still rush forward. This was a flaw. It was not a tactical flaw, but a psychological flaw. She practiced dexterity and had never encountered such a style of play. So she panicked.
In the competition six months later, the opponent will only be stronger. But one thing remains unchanged - people. As long as you are human, there will be "unexpected things".
The last collision, jumping off the ring with someone in his arms, was the only way he could think of at the time. The price was also high - those Law Technique hit him, and if he got hit a few more times, his internal organs might not be able to hold on.
But what he was thinking about over and over again was another thing: Did he hesitate at that time?
Yes. When Li Yun said, "Give it up," a thought flashed through her mind - she was right. According to common sense, she couldn't break the ribbon.
That thought only crossed my mind for a moment, and then I killed it. Not because I knew there was another way, but because I remembered Senior Sister Nangong's words. "Don't embarrass me, Nangong Yao."
Embarrassing? What is embarrassment? It's not embarrassing to admit defeat if you can't win. It's embarrassing to admit defeat without even thinking about it.
He remembered those roars of laughter, and also remembered someone saying, "This big man is a cruel man, and he is cruel to himself." Did he care? He did. But he didn't care what others thought, but he cared - if there was another time, could he not be so embarrassed?
Long-range means. This was the shortest thing in his mind. It was not unimportant, but it was too obvious - the water arrows of the female disciple and the golden thorns of the blue-shirted sword cultivator. He could only bear it. If he could bear it, he would win. If he couldn't, he would lose. They must be dealt with.
But it's not what I'm thinking about now. No matter how much I think about it, I can't create a remote Cultivation Method.
He opened his eyes and the moonlight fell on Edgeless.
He knew exactly what to do after the sun rose tomorrow.
***
After a night, the morning light slanted in through the stone window and fell on the edge of the bed.
Qin Tiexin sat upright and placed everything in front of him.
Ten pieces of low-grade Spirit Stone, milky white, about the size of a quail egg, with natural texture on the surface.
Take a celadon bottle, remove the cork, and roll five brown elixirs into the palm of your hand. Qi-reviving elixir. I tried one yesterday. Spiritual Qi recovered quickly, but there was a layer of astringency in the meridians, which must be erysipelas.
There is also an iron plate, two fingers wide, cold, with the word "Gong" engraved on the front. With this plate, you can go to the first floor of the Library Pavilion to select a copy of Cultivation Method. Cultivation Method in the Library Pavilion cannot be redeemed with Spirit Stone, and can only be exchanged with this qualification. "Qi-Entraining Technique" is only a basic Cultivation Method distributed to everyone. You must change it to a more suitable one as soon as possible.
The above are the rewards for ranking third in weapon refining, sixth in fighting, and seventh in overall.
He looked at it for a while and put it in Storage Bag. In the bag were the remaining twenty Spirit Stone and three Jade Slip given by Senior Sister Nangong.
Thirty pieces of Spirit Stone, five rejuvenation pills, one exchange for Cultivation Method qualification.
Gotta do the math.
One hundred and eighty days away from the Great Competition. I am currently on the second level of Qi refining, and am stuck in front of the threshold of the third level. A piece of Spirit Stone can be used for four hours, and the maximum amount of Qi refining is two hours a day - any more meridians will sting. It takes two days to consume one piece.
One hundred and eighty days, ninety yuan.
He only has thirty dollars.
Not enough.
Qin Tiexin stood up, walked to the wall, and scratched the stone wall with his nails.
Twelve hours a day.
Body training, two hours.
Refining Qi, two hours.
Work, two hours - the number of handymen after Xiaobi was reduced by half, and they are still in the Waste Equipment Pavilion.
Tool refining, two hours.
Martial arts, two hours.
Rest for two hours.
After he finished rowing, he stepped back and saw that it was full.
He stared at the line "rest" for a long time.
During Great Xuan, it was common to sleep for an hour while marching and fighting. Sometimes I would run after the enemy and couldn't close my eyes for three days and two nights. I would sleep for a while by leaning on the back of my comrades. I didn't feel bitter at that time because everyone was the same. If you didn't hold on, you wouldn't be the only one who would die.
What now?
He stretched out his hand, erased half an hour of "rest" and added it to "martial skills". Two and a half hours of martial arts, one and a half hours of rest.
Enough.
***
In the afternoon, Qin Tiexin walked to the door of the weapon refining branch.
The vermilion gate is two feet high, with heat waves gushing out from inside, mixed with the sound of clanking and forging. Most of the people coming in and out were outer disciples in green robes, and a few gray-clothed servants hurried past.
He held his identity card - there was a small hammer mark on the back, which represented the first fifty qualifications for weapon refining.
Step through the door.
hot.
It was not ordinary heat. It was scorching air mixed with the smell of metal smelting, charcoal fire, and sweat. It hit the face like a wet cloth. The sound came booming: the sound of hammering was like a heavy rain, the bellows roared, the quenching screeched, and the human voice buzzed.
Qin Tiexin stopped.
He had seen the heat. Three of the smelting furnaces in the Waste Equipment Pavilion were turned on at a time, and the heat could make people faint. But it was sweltering, like being covered in wet cloth. Here was another thing - not stuffy, but restless, a restlessness that urged you to "go faster, go faster" with every sound of the hammer.
He raised his eyes and looked around. The hall was astonishingly wide, the blue-black stone floor was polished, and hundreds of forging platforms were lined up, most of which were occupied. The shirtless disciples were sweating profusely, and their muscles were shiny under the fire. The firelight danced, the shadows swayed, and the scenery in the distance was distorted by the heat.
Some people looked up at him and then lowered their heads.
A handyman in gray clothes. Here, gray clothes are the mark. You don't need to say anything, you can tell who you are at a glance.
"New here?"
A hoarse voice came from the side. He was an old man in a brown coat, with gray hair and a wooden hairpin, and two deep lines between his eyebrows. He was holding a thick book in his hand, and his eyes glanced at Qin Tiexin's gray clothes, and he paused.
"Yes."
"Wooden sign."
Qin Tiexin handed it over. The old man opened the booklet and crossed a line with his finger.
"Qin Tiexin. The third best weapon refiner, handyman disciple." He read calmly, without any ups and downs. "According to the rules, the top fifty can enter the hall to practice for two hours every day. They can consume contribution points or Spirit Stone to receive basic materials. The refined utensils will be recycled according to the standard in the hall and converted into contribution points or Spirit Stone."
He raised his eyes and looked at Edgeless behind Qin Tiexin: "Is the knife yours?"
"Yes."
"Let me take a look."
Qin Tiexin untied Edgeless and handed it over. The old man took it with one hand, lowered his wrist, and steadied himself. He didn't say anything. He looked at the blade first, then flicked the spine with his fingers, listened to the sound, then turned it over and looked at the back of the blade. Finally, he brought the knife close to his eyes and stared at the spiritual patterns on the blade that were so shallow that they were almost invisible.
"Heavy, stable, and the material is well-forged." He handed the knife back, "The spiritual patterns are average, and the low-grade Law Artifact is just barely."
Qin Tiexin took it and said nothing.
"I am Sun Gu, one of the deacons of the branch." The old man closed the book and said, "There are three rules: no private fighting, no waste of materials, no damage to utensils. Violators will have their qualifications deducted, and in serious cases they will be expelled."
He stared at Qin Tiexin with no warmth or malice in his eyes, as if he was looking at a tool.
"I've seen many of you handymen here. Do you think you can become a weapon refiner just by being able to forge iron and engrave patterns?" He spoke in a leisurely manner, as if stating the facts, "It's a matter of grinding water and burning Spirit Stone. Without talent, resources, or teachers to teach you step by step, you can become a skilled worker after ten years of practice."
He paused.
"However, there was a handyman twenty years ago who also started in this C-level area. Now he is the deputy hall master of the Inner Sect Weapon Refining Hall."
After saying that, he turned around and pointed to the right side of the hall. "The C-level area is over there, for you. The A-level area is in the middle, for inner disciple, don't get in."
Qin Tiexin stood there, watching Sun Gu's back as he walked towards a green-robed disciple who had just entered. The man handed something to him with a smile on his face. Sun Gu took it, looked at it, and nodded, his attitude was exactly the same as before - no warmth, no malice.
He looked away, picked up the knife and walked towards Area C.
Area C was against the wall, with seven or eight empty seats. The table was smaller than the one in the center, the stove was simpler, and the tools were similar to those in the small competition. He chose the corner seat and put down Edgeless.
I touched the countertop and saw that it was cold, Mysterious Iron rock, and full of beating marks. There were hammers, pliers, files, and needles on the tool rack.
"New here?"
On the table next to him, a young man turned his head. He was in his early twenties, his face was stained with charcoal ash, his sleeves were rolled up to his elbows, and his forearms were strong. He was quenching his sword when his dagger entered the water with a hissing sound. He didn't look up, and the sound came from the side of his face.
Qin Tiexin nodded.
"Elder Sun is just like that, don't worry." The young man shook off the water on his hand and walked over. When he got closer, he saw clearly that there was a shallow scar at the corner of his eye, which was not conspicuous, but you could see it if you got closer.
"He has been in charge of District C for decades and has seen a lot of people." The young man spoke, but his eyes were looking at Qin Tiexin Edgeless placed beside the table, "There are not many handyman disciples who can persist."
He glanced at Qin Tiexin's tools. "First time?"
"Hmm."
"Do you know the rules? Bring the materials yourself, or go to the window over there to get them." The young man pointed to the small window at the other end of the hall, "One and a half Law Artifact materials will cost five contribution points, or a piece of low-grade Spirit Stone. When refined and recycled, six contribution points or one hundred and fifty spiritual crystals."
He smiled, "Seeing as you came here as a handyman, you should have some foundation. What do you call me?"
"Qin Tiexin."
"Zhou Ping, I came here half a year earlier than you." The young man wiped his sweat, rubbed his hands on his clothes, then reached for his water bag at his waist, found it empty, cursed something, turned around and walked back to his stage, "You came up for this competition, right? What's your rank?"
"First fifty."
Zhou Ping said "Oh" and didn't ask about the ranking. He picked up the hammer and compared it with the dagger that had just been tempered. He suddenly remembered something. "By the way, the deputy hall master that Elder Sun mentioned is true. His surname is Chen, and he was also a handyman back then."
Qin Tiexin turned to look at him.
Zhou Ping didn't raise his head, the hammer had already fallen.
Dang--
"Practice yourselves." He said.
Qin Tiexin walked to the material window and lined up. The two green-robed disciples in front were talking.
"Have you heard? There will be a quiz in the classroom in three months."
"I know. Elder Sun mentioned in his lecture this morning that the resources purchased by the bottom half of the rankings in the next quarter will be halved."
"Half the amount? What a waste of practice!"
"So you have to hurry up... Hey, have you received the materials?"
"I got it. I want to try Cold Iron this time, but it's expensive..."
It's Qin Tiexin's turn. Behind the window is a young disciple, lazily, without even raising his eyelids.
"One portion of basic ingredients, three iron ingots, one bag of pure copper, and some auxiliary materials." Qin Tiexin said.
"Five contribution points or one piece of inferior quality Spirit Stone."
Qin Tiexin put down a piece of Spirit Stone. The disciple pushed out a package of materials and put it outside the window. He finally raised his eyelids, glanced at Qin Tiexin's gray clothes, and let them hang down again.
"Next."
Qin Tiexin carried the materials back and put them on his own table. He was not in a hurry to light a fire. He first checked the tools, tried the weight of the hammer and the feel of the pliers. Then he picked up the iron ingot and looked closer.
It is grey-black and has less impurities than the scraps from the Waste Equipment Pavilion, but not by much.
He put down the iron ingot and made a fire.
The coke ignited, and the flames licked the iron bottom. The bellows was pulled, and the fire became strong with a whirring sound. The iron ingot turned from black to dark red, and then to orange-red.
Clip it out and place it on the cutting board. Hold the sledgehammer tightly.
Hammer down.
Clang--!
Sparks exploded, the iron ingot deformed, and the impurities shattered.
One hammer, another hammer. The rhythm is steady and the force is even.
The sound next to him gradually became distant. It wasn't that it was really far away, but he couldn't hear it. There was only the sound of hammering, and the extremely short, quiet gap between each hammering sound.
***
Two hours go very quickly.
When the copper bell rang, Qin Tiexin was immersing the forged dagger in the sink. His face was filled with white steam.
He took out the knife. It was one foot two inches long, blue-grey, a half-Law Artifact short knife. It was engraved with sharp spiritual patterns.
After drying off, I walked to the recycling window. There was a different disciple at the back, who was more energetic than the previous one. He was looking down at something.
"Recycle."
The disciple took the knife, looked at it, measured the spirit pattern with Spiritual Qi, and nodded.
"Half Law Artifact short knife, sharp spiritual pattern, qualified." He put the knife aside, "The recycling price is six contribution points or one hundred and fifty spiritual crystals."
"Spirit Crystal."
When he walked out of the branch hall, the afternoon sun was still strong. He squinted his eyes and looked back at the vermilion door. The sound of forging was still there.
***
The Waste Equipment Pavilion is still the same.
It was dark and messy, with scraps piled on the ground, and there was a smell of rust and mold in the air.
When the steward saw him coming, he raised his eyes.
"Here you come? I heard that you did well in the competition."
Qin Tiexin nodded.
"You deserve to have your handyman hours cut in half." The steward pointed inside, "The work remains the same, two hours. You can leave after you finish."
"Thank you, steward."
Qin Tiexin walked to his corner workstation. On the table were piles of scraps to be disposed of, broken swords, and rusty knives.
He picked up a broken sword and weighed it.
The fracture is new and the blade is still warm.
Someone just sent it today.
He began to dismantle the sword. First he removed the hilt, then the guard, and finally the sword body. The fire in the smelting furnace was already lit, so he threw the broken sword into it and pulled the bellows.
Two hours passed quickly. As the sun set in the west, he finished clearing the table, nodded to the steward, and left the Waste Equipment Pavilion.
After having a meal in the dining hall, I felt a little tired. Spiritual Qi recovered slowly.
***
When he returned to the room, it was already dark. He lit the oil lamp and started practicing according to the timetable on the wall.
After practicing, it was already late at night.
He picked up the Jade Slip given by Senior Sister Nangong.
"Encyclopedia of Spiritual Patterns". As the consciousness sinks, countless lines come out: sharp lines, solid lines, light body lines, ice lines, flame lines... There are experiences beside it, talking about the weight of the strokes, the priority of spiritual power, and the appropriateness of the material.
He looked slowly. Every time he saw a line, he simulated and traced the trajectory in his mind.
After an hour, I changed to "Initial Interpretation of Weapon Refining Techniques". It goes into more depth, from material selection and forging to spiritual pattern engraving. If you don't understand some parts after reading it once, just read it again.
He put down Jade Slip and rubbed his brows.
He looked at the timetable on the stone wall. It should be the "rest" hour and a half.
He sat for a while, then got up and walked to the wall to look at the lines of fingernail scratches: body training, Qi training, work, weapon training, martial arts, and rest.
The resting square is only half as long as the other squares.
He looked at it for a long time, then reached out and wiped away that half hour.
Add it to "Refining Tools".
Weapon refining, two and a half hours. Martial arts, two and a half hours. Rest, one hour.
Enough.
He blew out the light and lay down.
The stone room was dark, with only a little starlight outside the window.
I was thinking about today's events: planning, the weapon refining branch, Elder Sun's words "twenty years ago", the work in the Wasted Equipment Pavilion, Jade Slip knowledge...
Finally, it stopped at Li Yun's eyes.
She will definitely come to the competition in three months.