Chapter 73

Han Muye had just arrived at the entrance of the Sword Pavilion when a voice sounded from the stone steps below.

"Huh, a new arrival?"

"Where's Old Six?"

"Dead? Probably dead."

Han Muye looked down and saw a middle-aged man in his forties standing there, with a goatee and wearing a gray brocade robe, his face full of impatience.

"Don't worry, even if you die, Brother Six won't die," Han Muye said indifferently.

The middle-aged man was taken aback and glared, shouting, "Are new Sword Pavilion observers so disrespectful these days?"

Han Muye nodded and then called out, "Elder Gao, this person says you haven't taught the new Sword Pavilion observers the rules."

...

The sunlight was bright.

The breeze was gentle.

The middle-aged man in the brocade robe, standing at the bottom of the nine stone steps in front of the Sword Pavilion, was drenched in sweat.

He glared with wide eyes, his whole body trembling.

After ten breaths, he collapsed to the ground, limp.

"A small punishment to teach a lesson. If there is any more disrespect to the Sword Pavilion, Cao Anchun will personally deliver the sword."

The voice of the Sword Pavilion elder was light and distant, as if coming from the clouds.

Lin Shen and Lu Gao, standing at the entrance of the Sword Pavilion, exchanged a glance.

Han Muye's jest had actually made the Sword Pavilion elder take action!

How protective could he be?

And, Han Muye's standing in the elder's eyes was not low at all!

"Cao Pei knows his mistake, thank you, Elder, for sparing my life." The middle-aged man, struggling to his feet, bowed to the Sword Pavilion.

The Sword Pavilion elder did not respond.

Han Muye looked at the young men in hemp clothes behind Cao Pei, who were holding wooden boxes, and said, "Bring the swords."

Cao Pei quickly turned around, "Quickly, quickly, didn't you hear what this senior said?"

One of the Cao family's disciples stepped forward with a long sword, standing at the bottom of the stone steps. Cao Pei opened the wooden box and carefully lifted out the long sword wrapped in red silk with both hands.

"Senior, please inspect it," Cao Pei said softly, presenting it to Han Muye.

He raised his eyes to look at Han Muye.

Cao Pei had been delivering swords to the Sword Pavilion for almost twenty years and had met countless Sword Pavilion observers.

Most of these observers he only saw once, and in recent years, he had dealt with Old Six the most.

Every time he delivered a sword, whether it was Old Six or other observers, they were always polite.

Cao Pei had never thought that an observer would be so difficult.

If it was just a bit of trouble, he would have thought the new observer was rash and didn't know the rules.

But the Sword Pavilion elder actually stood up for this new observer.

Looking at Han Muye's calm expression, Cao Pei suddenly remembered what the family patriarch had said.

Sword Pavilion observers of the Nine Profound Sword Sect are nothing special, but the formal disciples of the Sword Pavilion must not be offended.

Because, they are the next Sword Pavilion elder!

Could this one be the next Sword Pavilion elder?

Thinking of this, Cao Pei's heart stirred, and his hand holding the sword slightly retreated into his sleeve. When he extended it again, there were two shiny spirit stones in his palm.

Two medium-grade spirit stones.

Han Muye's gaze fell on the spirit stones, and he reached out.

He grabbed the sword.

"Brother Lu, take them."

Han Muye said indifferently.

Lu Gao stepped forward and took the spirit stones from Cao Pei.

He had come to believe Han Muye's words.

He was sure that no matter who came to the Sword Pavilion, they would be squeezed for some benefit by Han Muye.

Lin Shen's lips twitched slightly.

Cao Pei let out a sigh of relief.

At least, he could take the spirit stones, which meant he wasn't completely unreasonable.

Looking at the sword in Han Muye's hand, Cao Pei said, "Senior, this sword is called San Yang. It is made from refined iron, tempered several times, and carefully polished."

"This sword—"

Before he could finish, Han Muye drew the sword with a "clang" and pointed it slightly, turning it slowly.

"The sword is three feet and one inch long, weighs twelve pounds and five ounces, is one inch wide, and has a blood groove half an inch deep. It is made from rock essence iron and forged with the five-fire tempering method."

Han Muye's words made Cao Pei's eyes widen.

"This sword contains a trace of San Yang gold, and Mu Yang spring water was used during tempering. It was also polished with Jin Yang stone, hence the name San Yang, which makes sense."

Han Muye slowly raised the sword and examined it closely.

Cao Pei's lips trembled, and he muttered, "Yes... it is... good..."

"Clang—"

The sword was sheathed.

Han Muye put the sword back in the wooden box and said indifferently, "It looks like a well-tempered sword, but with three yang forces stacked and no cold force to balance it, are you afraid this sword won't break fast enough?"

Cao Pei's face turned red, and he opened his mouth to speak, but Han Muye had already pointed to the second sword.

The Cao family disciple brought the wooden box forward and opened it.

A bronze long sword lay inside, supported by a gray silk cloth.

Before Cao Pei could introduce it, Han Muye had already grasped the sword.

"Clang—"

The sword was drawn, its light cold and sharp.

"Yuan? This sword is good, made from light stone, three feet long, and can penetrate metal."

He lightly swung the sword and then put it back in the wooden box.

Cao Pei let out a sigh of relief.

Han Muye picked up another sword.

"Too much Feng Ling iron, a good half-spirit weapon has been turned into an ordinary one."

"Too many temperings with hundred-fold steel, this sword is ruined."

...

Sweat began to roll down Cao Pei's forehead again.

"Seven-tenths frost steel? Three-layer forging method? This sword is good enough to be sent to the second floor." Han Muye held a three-foot sword, his eyes bright.

"Bing Po? The name is good, but the forging technique seems a bit lacking."

He gently sheathed the sword and turned to look at Cao Pei.

"Does this sword seem to be made by a female forger?"

Cao Pei's face was full of admiration, and he gave a thumbs-up, "Senior, you are amazing. This sword was forged by Miss Sun of our Cao family."

"The patriarch said that Miss Sun's Bing Po can be considered her graduation work."

Han Muye nodded.

He had already seen the image of the forger in the sword, which had few memories.

Indeed, it was a girl with great forging talent.

Of the twenty-one swords, Han Muye ultimately kept fifteen.

The remaining six, in his view, had too many problems and did not qualify to be stored in the Sword Pavilion.

"Senior, please be lenient," Cao Pei said with a pained expression, holding three more glowing spirit stones in his hand.

"I've been doing this job for nearly twenty years, and I've never had to take a sword back."

"These swords have flaws, but they are not unusable..."

Hearing this, Han Muye's expression turned serious, "Flaws, but not unusable?"

He pointed to the Sword Pavilion behind him and said coldly, "Every sword here must be given to a disciple of the Nine Profound Sword Sect."

"They need to accompany this sword in their cultivation and battles."

"A flawed sword could cost their lives."

"Do you think these few spirit stones can buy back their lives?"

Cao Pei stood there, his mouth opening and closing, and finally bowed in shame before turning to leave.

He didn't know how to face his clan members when he returned.

Han Muye registered and organized the swords he had collected, then held the sword Bing Po and walked to the stairs.

"Disciple has collected a top-tier half-spirit weapon, which qualifies to be sent to the second floor of the Sword Pavilion."

Han Muye held the sword and bowed.

After a moment, a light response came from upstairs.

"Bring it up."

Han Muye bowed slightly and carried the sword up to the second floor.

Finally, he had the chance to go to the second floor of the Sword Pavilion!

Lowering his head, Han Muye's eyes shone brightly.