Martial Saint with Passives

Seven Stars Castle.

Zhang Jinghuai led Jiang Che to the front of a massive Weapon Forging Shop.

From a great distance, Jiang Che could already hear the CLANG CLANG of hammering metal.

A group of bare-chested men were bustling about inside.

One was swinging a sledgehammer, relentlessly striking a red-hot iron ingot. Soon, he had hammered out the shape of a blade.

Another carried a basket of coal, continuously pouring it into the furnace.

Someone off to the side was working the bellows. Before long, the fire roared to life, flames licking outward.

Another man used a pair of tongs to hold a newly shaped blade and plunged it into a pool of water to quench it.

TSSSSSS!

A cloud of steam instantly billowed up, and the blade’s red glow faded.

He picked it up, examined it, and a look of satisfaction appeared on his face.

In the middle of the courtyard, an old man with a white beard and hair, a high-bridged nose, deep-set eyes, and a body corded with muscle stood with his arms crossed, watching the men work.

Whenever he saw someone working clumsily, he would yell at them.

Zhang Jinghuai walked forward with a smile and said to the white-haired elder:

"Old Ghost Situ, it’s been a while. You’re as full of life and vigor as ever!"

Situ Xuan glanced at Zhang Jinghuai and said flatly:

"What’s a stubborn old coot like you doing here? If you have something to say, spit it out!"

Zhang Jinghuai shook his head and said:

"Your temper is as foul as ever! Never mind. I came this time to ask you to forge a good saber for this young brother, Jiang Che—one that suits him well!"

Jiang Che quickly stepped forward, cupped his fists, and said:

"This junior, Jiang Che, greets Elder Situ."

Situ Xuan looked Jiang Che up and down, then turned to Zhang Jinghuai and said:

"Old Ghost Zhang, you’re going to use your favor on this kid? Are you sure?"

Zhang Jinghuai frowned. "Why? Is there a problem?"

Situ Xuan said, "No, of course not! But let’s be clear. After this, I won’t owe you anything anymore. Don’t you go backing out!"

Zhang Jinghuai said impatiently:

"It’s just forging a saber. Stop wasting my time!"

Situ Xuan nodded and said to Jiang Che:

"Kid, what kind of saber do you want? And how heavy?"

Jiang Che wasn’t sure what kind of saber was best for him, so he said:

"Senior, I’d like a heavier saber, one that can harm an Iron Skin Realm or even a Force Integration Expert."

Situ Xuan frowned. "Kid, if I’m not mistaken, you’re in the Stone Skin Realm, right? And you’re already confident enough to take on a Force Integration Expert?"

Jiang Che bowed deeply. "This junior has heard that Elder Situ is the greatest bladesmith in Lin Yuan City. If I were to ask you to forge an ordinary saber, wouldn’t that be an insult to your status?"

Situ Xuan raised an eyebrow. "You’ve got a sharp tongue, kid. Don’t worry. There are few in Lin Yuan City who would dare to block a saber I’ve forged! But you said you wanted it heavier—how many pounds?"

Jiang Che didn’t know what weight would be suitable. "Senior, what weight do you think would suit me?"

"Fifty pounds. A saber isn’t necessarily better the heavier it is. What matters is whether you can wield it with agility," Situ Xuan said in a deep voice.

For an ordinary Stone Skin Realm practitioner, a fifty-pound saber was already considered heavy.

But he saw that Jiang Che had a formidable build and showed signs of having trained in Iron Body techniques. His strength was clearly not insignificant.

Therefore, he had already suggested a higher weight than usual.

Jiang Che thought for a moment and said, "Could this junior try a saber of that weight?"

Situ Xuan nodded and called over a disciple, telling him to fetch a fifty-pound saber.

Jiang Che took the saber, moved to an open area, and performed a set of the Wave-Breaking Saber Technique.

As he executed the Perfection Level Saber Technique, the sound of the blade cutting through the air echoed continuously.

Jiang Che’s movements rose, fell, and spun with perfect fluidity.

Situ Xuan was a little surprised. This saber technique was clearly one of the most basic, with little value in practicing it.

He hadn’t expected Jiang Che to have trained it to such a degree!

Moreover, the fifty-pound saber seemed as light as a feather in his hands, far from allowing him to display his true strength!

’This kid... is interesting,’ he thought to himself.

After finishing his set and returning the saber, Jiang Che was already satisfied with it.

Compared to the saber he used for practice at home, this one was clearly much better!

Not only did it have more weight, but one glance at its quality showed it was no Mortal Grade weapon!

But Situ Xuan shook his head and said:

"Fifty pounds is too light for you. Try a seventy-pound one."

The disciple who had brought the saber was stunned for a moment but still went to fetch a seventy-pound saber and handed it over.

Jiang Che didn’t understand, but if Elder Situ said it was too light, then it must be too light.

He took the seventy-pound saber and instantly felt that the weight was indeed more comfortable.

He then performed another set of the Wave-Breaking Saber Technique.

This time, the sound of the blade slicing through the air was even louder.

Jiang Che also felt it was incredibly satisfying.

"This weight is great! I feel like I can wield it much more effortlessly!"

Jiang Che said happily.

But Situ Xuan’s eye was incredibly sharp. He could tell with a single glance that this seventy-pound saber was also far from allowing Jiang Che to unleash his full strength!

He shook his head and said:

"Still no good, it’s too light! Go get the hundred-pound saber!"

This time, not only was the disciple fetching the sabers stunned, but some of the other working disciples also stopped what they were doing and gathered around.

"A hundred pounds? Did I hear that right?"

"A hundred pounds... that’s not light even for someone in the Iron Skin Realm! Where did this kid come from?"

The crowd began to whisper among themselves.

Situ Xuan glared at the disciples who had gathered around and roared, "What are you looking at? Get back to work!"

The crowd quickly returned to their tasks, but their eyes kept drifting back toward Jiang Che.

The disciple in charge of fetching sabers brought over a hundred-pound blade.

Jiang Che took the saber and once again performed a set of the saber technique.

This time, he felt he could let loose even more. After he finished, he even felt relaxed all over, as if he had just warmed up.