Chasing after her husband? Is it even possible to win him back?

"Second grade?" Ning Qiu Ning was somewhat surprised. "Aren't the Longquan swords produced by Longquan Sword Manor usually third or even fourth grade?"

“But the first Longquan sword was indeed a second-grade sword.” A gentle female voice took over Ning Qiuning’s words, and the two women turned their gazes to the speaker.

A woman dressed in plain clothes walked out of the workshop and explained with a smile, "The forging method of Longquan swords is extremely versatile. The third and fourth grade swords commonly seen on the market are improved based on this sword. It is the cornerstone of Longquan Sword Manor's success."

"I see." Compared to the second-grade Longquan sword, Ning Qiu Ning was more curious about the woman in front of her. "I am Ning Qiu Ning from the Supreme Sword Sect. This is my maid. May I ask your name, young lady?"

"Ning Qiuning? You are Ning Qiuning?" The woman stared at the woman standing opposite her, scrutinizing her closely. After a brief pause, she smiled and said, "Excuse me, Miss Ning. I am Zuo Zhishuang, the young master of Longquan Sword Manor."

"I see, my apologies." When Ning Qiu Ning heard the girl introduce herself, she roughly understood the other party's inexplicable rudeness earlier, and a slight bitterness rose in her heart.

It must be related to Chu Xunfeng.

"May I ask, Miss Zhishuang, how has Brother Chu... Chu Xunfeng been doing lately?" Ning Qiu Ning asked softly.

"Well, I can't really comment on whether Chu Gongfeng was good or not, but..." Zuo Zhishuang said with a gentle smile, "I can't tell you about him without going through Chu Gongfeng, Sister Ning, I'm sorry."

Ning Qiu Ning breathed a sigh of relief after being turned away, but did not lose her composure. She simply gave a forced smile and said, "I'm sorry, Miss Zhi Shuang, I've caused you trouble."

"Although I can't tell you about Elder Chu, as compensation, I can show you around the workshop. You should have received the sword talisman Elder Chu gave you, right?"

"Is it okay?" Ning Qiu Ning had thought that Zuo Zhi Shuang didn't like her, but it seemed that it wasn't as she thought.

"It's alright. After all, bringing one or two people or three, four, or five people makes no difference. Want to come?"

Ning Qiu pondered for a few seconds, then nodded slightly, "Then I'll trouble you, Sister Zhishuang."

Chapter 42, The Melted Sword Embryo

"Since we've agreed, then..."

Zuo Zhishuang looked at the young sword attendant and said, "Go and attend to your business first."

"Understood, Miss." The sword attendant nodded slightly, glanced at the Ning family master and servant, smiled and nodded, then turned and walked towards the workshop door.

"Does Sister Zhishuang not need to entertain guests today?" Ning Qiuning asked softly as she followed Zuo Zhishuang into the depths of the workshop with her maid.

After all, Zuo Zhishuang was dressed in simple clothes, and her long black hair was casually tied into a bun and hung down her back. Today's sword appraisal competition should be extremely important to the people of Longquan Sword Manor, but Zuo Zhishuang's attire clearly indicated that she had no intention of showing her face in public.

"As for the guests, although I am responsible for entertaining some of them, they are not the kind of guests that require any special treatment." Zuo Zhishuang smiled gently. "But Sister Ning is an exception?"

"Won't this disturb the other guests...?"

"Zhishuang? Where did you go?" Before Ning Qiuning could finish speaking, a familiar voice came from the depths of the passageway where the three of them were walking.

Ning Qiu Ning subconsciously recalled the face that corresponded to that voice. She couldn't utter the last word before raising her eyes and seeing a woman in white emerge from around the corner in front of the passageway.

Xu Bailing?

Ning Qiu Ning's expression stiffened for a moment, but she quickly regained her composure. "Miss Xu, is this the guest that you're entertaining today, Sister Zhi Shuang?"

"Hmm... I guess so." Zuo Zhishuang blinked, seemingly oblivious to the woman approaching and the stiff atmosphere between her and Ning Qiuning behind her. "Anyway, as per Chu Gongfeng's request, I'll be in charge of entertaining Sister Xu and Sister Yao today."

“Miss Ning, it’s been several months since we last met at the Sword Pavilion in Baidi City.” Xu Bailing approached her. She knew Ning Qiuning was in Lancang City, and even expected that people from the Supreme Sword Sect would come to participate in the Sword Appraisal Conference. However, she did not expect to see Ning Qiuning, who had been brought in by Zuo Zhishuang, in the workshop of Longquan Sword Manor.

“Miss Xu is mistaken. We met once in the demon capital,” Ning Qiu Ning replied softly to Xu Bai Ling’s greeting.

Xu Bailing glanced at Ning Qiuning, whose attitude towards her was completely different from what she remembered, with some surprise. Her gaze swept over the Ning family maid who seemed quite wary of her, then she looked away and turned to Zuo Zhishuang, her brows furrowing slightly. "Zhishuang..."

The tone was somewhat harsh.

Zuo Zhishuang blinked, as if to explain, "I just felt too stuffy, so I went out for some fresh air. I didn't leave the workshop."

Xu Bailing looked at Zuo Zhishuang's innocent appearance, sighed, and considering that there were outsiders present, she didn't say anything more. "Don't make me and Senior Sister Yao worry. You left the furnace fire to her to look after, and then you came out to get some fresh air."

"It's alright, I've already adjusted the stove and everything." Zuo Zhishuang's eyes darted around, and she smiled at Xu Bailing. "Speaking of which, do you and Sister Ning know each other?"

Xu Bailing glanced at Zuo Zhishuang. The young lady of Baidi City could clearly sense that Zuo Zhishuang was plotting something, but she didn't expose her. "Of course we know each other. Don't you know about the relationship between Miss Ning and Chu Xunfeng?"

Zuo Zhishuang blinked, seemingly realizing that Xu Bailing wouldn't be restrained by Ning Qiuning's presence, and took the initiative to end the topic, "It's good that we know each other, let's go, let's go, I'll go back and see how the sword blank is being made, Sister Ning, come and see how the Longquan sword is produced."

"Is that okay?"

“Sure, actually, it’s not really the kind of Longquan sword that the Sword Manor sells to the public. It’s more of a special one.” Zuo Zhishuang chuckled as she led the two women deeper into the workshop, explaining as she spoke.

"Special trait?" Ning Qiu Ning asked with some curiosity.

“Yes, it’s custom-made.” Zuo Zhishuang said, but glanced at Xu Bailing. “I was entrusted by Chu Gongfeng to customize a sword blank for Sister Xu. After the initial forging, it can be delivered. After that, Sister Xu will have to take it back to Baidi City to slowly nurture it and finally fuse it into the sword she is using now.”

Ning Qiu Ning turned her head and glanced at Xu Bai Ling, recalling the sword talisman in her storage magic treasure, and then thinking of what she once possessed that she had never cherished, now having an object of comparison...

Only Ning Qiu Ning herself knows the true extent of her feelings.

"I heard from Zhi Shuang that it would be very expensive." Xu Bailing didn't look at Yao Jiangshu, but she didn't mind taking advantage of Zuo Zhi Shuang's instigation to stab Ning Qiu Ning in the back again.

“That’s right. Although he provided some base materials for the offering, some of the materials were also the property of the Sword Manor…” Zuo Zhishuang said half a sentence, but then changed the subject, “But since it’s an offering, it doesn’t matter.”

Ning Qiu Ning didn't say a word, but silently followed the two people in front of her. The maid came close to Ning Qiu Ning's side and gently tugged at the young lady's sleeve.

Ning Qiuning stubbornly shook her head and followed after them.

If she escapes here, she will have even less courage to face Xu Bailing in the future. After all, she already knew Xu Bailing's feelings for Chu Xunfeng from the Sword Pavilion competition in Baidi City, as well as their meeting in the demon race and on the dragon boat.

Therefore, you must never back down. If you take one step back, you will never be able to catch up even if you take ten steps forward in the future.

As you venture deeper into the workshop, the air grows increasingly scorching.

After turning the corner of the passageway, Zuo Zhishuang led the three people behind her into a secluded forging room, where a fierce heat wave almost hit them in the face.

However, none of the people present paid attention to this slight change in temperature.

Yao Jiangshu, who had been keeping watch in the room, turned around when she heard the door open. She was slightly surprised to see Ning Qiuning, but at least she kept a straight face. She looked at Zuo Zhishuang, who was standing stiffly, and said, "Zhishuang, you're back? I've been watching the fire for you. It hasn't gone out."

Zuo Zhishuang walked step by step toward the furnace, looking at the unforged sword hilt exposed outside the furnace. Trembling, she picked up the steel clamps and pulled the sword blank out of the furnace.

"Hmm?" Yao Jiangshu noticed something amiss as she watched Zuo Zhishuang's actions and asked softly, "Um, did I... do something unnecessary?"

"It's alright," Zuo Zhishuang said calmly.

"That's good." Yao Jiang breathed a sigh of relief.

"It's just that this sword blank has been destroyed." Zuo Zhishuang casually tossed the crimson sword blank, which was clamped in a steel clamp, onto the ground.

"..." For a moment, the forge was completely silent.

Only Ning Qiu Ning stared intently at the fading crimson color on the ground, revealing the sword blank with its cracked body, struggling to contain herself.

Ning Qiuning, you better watch yourself, you absolutely mustn't laugh out loud...

Chapter 43, A Lingering Will Matches a Depleted Army

"The sword embryo... is ruined?"

Yao Jiangshu stared in disbelief as the crimson red faded, revealing the sword blank covered in fine cracks. For a moment, she felt a sense of dread.

Before the sword blank was formed, Zuo Zhishuang kept repeating that this sword blank could at least improve the Qingyou Sword, which was a fourth-grade sword in Xu Bailing's hand, to a sixth-grade quality. If it was properly nurtured and enhanced by the forging technique, it might even be possible to upgrade it to a seventh-grade sword.

But now, this clearly valuable sword blank has been ruined because of its own unnecessary movements...

"Is there... a way to compensate?" Yao Jiangshu tried her best to remain calm, asking Zuo Zhishuang a question that only a layman would ask.

“No.” Zuo Zhishuang shook her head. “The properties of the material have completely changed. It’s now a broken sword, and it’s impossible for it to suit Sister Xu’s wishes…”

"I'll try to gather some more materials and use this as a base to forge a new sword blank." Zuo Zhishuang looked expressionlessly at the cracked sword blank on the ground, her tone devoid of joy or sorrow.

The women who knew nothing about forging and sword making remained silent because of Zuo Zhishuang's expression and words.

until......

"Um, Sister Zhishuang, Miss Xu, could I try out this sword talisman?" Ning Qiuning suddenly spoke up.

Her words drew surprised glances from the other four, with the most exaggerated expression of shock coming from her personal maid.

"What does Sister Ning mean?" Zuo Zhishuang didn't think this failed product had any value, but often, unintentional actions can create something. Forging itself is such a process, so she was curious about Ning Qiuning's intention to try this sword talisman.

“It… perhaps aligns with the intent I’m currently refining.” Ning Qiu Ning was quite frank at this moment. She raised her head, looked at Xu Bai Ling, and sought her opinion, “Does Miss Xu mind?”

Xu Bailing frowned slightly.

In private, she would certainly not agree, but at this moment... this failed sword embryo does not belong to her in a sense, and if she disagrees... she has no standing at all.

Of course, she could have used unreasonable arguments to directly thwart Ning Qiu Ning's idea, but... she had simply transformed from the taciturn and inarticulate young lady of yesteryear into someone who speaks her mind directly, with sharp words and a more shrewd will.

She wasn't malicious; at least, in this matter, there was no reason for her to treat Ning Qiuning with malice.

So she nodded slightly, "Go ahead and try it if you want. If you really want it, you'll have to talk to Zhishuang."

"Sister Zhishuang, is it alright?" Ning Qiu Ning looked at Zuo Zhishuang.

“Well, even if it’s broken, it still has value…” Zuo Zhishuang paused for a moment, “If Sister Ning wants to try it, that’s fine. If you really want it, we can talk about it later.”

"Thank you all." Ning Qiu Ning stepped forward, picked up the sword embryo, closed her eyes, and mobilized the sword intent that had settled in her mind pool.

The cracked sword blank hummed softly in Ning Qiuning's hand. The sword blank swayed precariously, almost falling apart. Yet, a peculiar sword intent intermittently emanated from the cracks in the sword's body.

"It's a very strange idea," Xu Bailing commented in a low voice.

"Sharp but not razor-sharp, wanting to be revealed but concealed..." Yao Jiangshu's voice had just fallen when the sword embryo in Ning Qiuning's hand suddenly shattered.

The sudden turn of events left Yao Jiangshu speechless, while Xu Bailing frowned deeply.

Even though the sword embryo was destroyed, it was still a token of Chu Xunfeng's affection. She had a strange possessiveness towards that broken sword embryo, and now... the sword embryo was completely shattered in Ning Qiuning's hands.

She stared at the smile on Ning Qiuning's face, a surge of anger rising within her, "Ning Qiuning, you..."