Martial Arts Sainthood Begins with the Tiger-Taming Fist

In less than fifteen minutes, Xu Yan had finished the entire large bowl of rice in front of her.

She put down her chopsticks, slowly stood up, and patted her swollen belly. "Let's go!"

The two arrived in Chuzhou Prefecture via Bagong Town and entered the Sword Casting Pavilion.

Xu Yan said, "For swordsmiths of the second rank or above, the assessment requires the simultaneous approval of two elders before a silver medal can be awarded. This is to prevent fraud and bribery..."

As she introduced the place, she led Chen Mo to a spacious forging room.

Inside, Tang Tian and another elder stood solemnly.

Nearby, several young people stood respectfully, including Yun Zan and He Can. When Yun Zan saw Chen Mo, her pretty face lit up slightly, while He Can raised an eyebrow.

Upon seeing Chen Mo enter, Tang Tian slightly composed himself, asking, "Chen Mo, are you also here to take the swordsmith exam?"

Chen Mo nodded. "Elder, I'm here to take the exam for a second-grade swordsmith."

Upon hearing this, He Can slightly curled the corner of his mouth and said:

"So it's Brother Chen Mo. I'm also here today to take the exam for... a third-grade swordsmith."

He raised his voice for the last few words, and after he finished speaking, he looked triumphant, as if he had already grasped the silver medal of a third-grade swordsmith in his hand.

"Then I wish Brother He success," Chen Mo replied calmly.

Yun Zan, who was standing next to He Can, bowed to Chen Mo, and Chen Mo returned the bow.

At this moment, another elder standing beside Tang Tian said:

"In that case, four people will be tested today. Two will be tested for the second rank, and two will be tested for the third rank. I will explain the rules first, and then you can each find a platform."

Chen Mo listened intently.

"The types of swords to be forged and the blueprints are on the platform. Each one is different. All the materials are ready. Once you have the blueprints, you can start forging. The time must not exceed three hours. When the time is up, Tang Tian and I will judge you one by one. Only when both of us pass our judgment will you be considered to have passed."

The rules were not complicated. Chen Mo glanced to the other side of the room, where several sword-forging tables were set up, and the blueprints were all pressed under paperweights, so the types of weapons could not be known in advance.

Seeing that the four understood, the elder waved his sleeve, and the four of them went to find their respective places.

He Can walked quickly and found a spot near the door first, because it was closest to Yun Zan.

The other two, fearing they would be disturbed, each found a secluded spot, while Chen Mo randomly picked one of the remaining spots.

Chen Mo removed the paperweight from the drawing, unfolded it, and stared intently at it.

"The Mighty Pass Sword: The Mighty Pass is as solid as iron, but with one sword, it can slay demons and evil spirits."

The sword is entirely gray-black, with only a tiny silver glint on the blade, giving it an imposing presence.

After examining the drawings closely for a moment, he memorized the details and then closed the drawings, preparing to begin casting.

Recently, "World's Wonders" has been approaching the level of understanding in cultivating oneself through mountains and waters.

Compared to two months ago, his sword-making skills have improved significantly.

"Forging this sword shouldn't be a problem even without using the Fire Separation Technique," he thought to himself.

On the other side, He Can hurriedly unfolded the blueprints and saw the name of the sword on them: Xiong Guan Sword.

Upon seeing this, a look of joy quickly appeared on his face, because before this, he had practiced forging several swords, including the Xiong Guan Sword.

The types of swords assessed by second-rank and third-rank swordsmiths are not much different; the only difference is that the latter's evaluation criteria are higher than the former's.

Chen Mo and He Can happened to choose the same sword.

After reviewing the blueprints, all four began casting.

He Can moved swiftly, following the steps he had practiced before: heating iron, forging, quenching, and tempering. His movements were fluid and graceful.

Tang Tian's expression remained solemn. He noticed He Can's actions, but his face showed no surprise or joy, nothing at all.

Xu Yan didn't speak to Tang Tian, ​​who had a stern face, but instead asked another elder:

"Elder Wu, can you discern the strength of those four?"

Elder Wu withdrew his gaze, thought for a moment, and said:

"He Can's skills are quite proficient, but he's too methodical and lacks inspiration. The two people in the corner are also just average. As for Chen Mo..."

At this point, a look of satisfaction appeared in his eyes. "He is steady and methodical, but not bound by conventions. He has his own understanding, which is excellent."

Elder Wu said "not bad" twice, and Xu Yan felt relieved after hearing that.

……

As time goes by.

Two hours have passed.

"I'm all better!"

He Can called out first, then held a gray-black sword in his palm and walked up to Tang Tian and Elder Wu, "Please take a look, Elders."

Elder Wu pointed to the stone table beside him, "Just put it down, and we'll judge it together later when they're done."

He Can then placed the sword on the stone table and walked smugly to Yun Zan's side. "Ah Zan, it's still a long time before Chen Mo finishes forging the sword. Would you like to sit down and rest for a bit?"

Yun Zan shook her head. "No need."

He Can could only stand aside, glancing at Yun Zan from time to time to see if she was looking at him too.

To He Can's disappointment, Yun Zan's gaze seemed to linger more on Chen Mo.

Half an hour later, Chen Mo and the other two finished in succession, placing their respective swords on the stone table.

"Is he also Xiong Guanjian?"

He Can then realized that what Chen Mo was holding was also the Xiong Guan Sword. He thought to himself, and then a feeling of joy welled up inside him. "That's good. Only by forging the same sword can we distinguish its superiority."

Tang Tian and Elder Wu stood on either side of the stone table, picked up their swords one after the other, and carefully judged the case, using both their hands and eyes.

Beside him, He Can stood tall and proud, his eyes sparkling, waiting for the two elders to praise him.

Chen Mo remained calm, his expression unchanged.

The other two unfamiliar young men looked nervous and anxiously awaited the final conclusion.

A short while later.

Tang Tian picked up the sword forged by the two strangers and said:

"The Grass Snake Sword and the Cold Light Sword are not up to standard, their quality is uneven, and their blades are too brittle. They are not approved by the judges."

Upon hearing this, the two men felt a chill in their hearts and could only meekly agree to Tang Tian's words.

Seeing this, He Can felt relieved, because his Xiong Guan Sword did not have these problems. He glanced at Chen Mo diagonally opposite him, trying to find a trace of anxiety on the other's face.

But Chen Mo's expression remained calm and composed.

A moment later, Tang Tian and Elder Wu each picked up two Xiong Guan swords and exchanged a glance.

Tang Tiandao:

"He Can's Xiong Guan sword is of acceptable quality and the blade is also tough, but it lacks the imposing presence that a Xiong Guan sword should have. I would barely consider it... acceptable."

Elder Wu, who was standing nearby, also expressed a similar view.

Upon hearing this, He Can's face beamed with the joy of a victor, and he shouted loudly, "Thank you for your recognition, Elder."

As for what Tang Tian said about "lacking the imposing presence that a sword should have at a majestic pass," who cares!

In his mind, reaching the rank of a third-grade swordsmith was already quite good.

Next, everyone waited for the two elders to judge Chen Mo's Xiong Guan Sword.

Tang Tian frowned slightly. "Chen Mo's Majestic Pass Sword has truly captured the imposing aura of a formidable fortress!"