I Don't Follow the Traditional Path of Weapon Forging

“Why do you want to forge swords for them?”

Facing Du Wufeng’s old face, which bloomed like a chrysanthemum, Li Mo was utterly confused.

Just a moment ago, Master Du had reluctantly agreed to Jiang Yu’s request, but now, upon seeing Ying Bing and Jiang Chulong, his expression changed dramatically—like a Sichuan opera face change.

There was no denying that the old man’s ability to shift his mood was lightning fast; Li Mo almost couldn’t keep up.

After Li Mo’s question hung in the air, Du Wufeng lowered his eyelids and fell silent for a moment, as if wrestling with a complex emotion he couldn’t quite put into words.

“A craftsman can only determine the starting point of a weapon, but it is the wielder who decides its true height.”

“The sword left behind by the Tianshan Ancestor was nothing more than a wooden sword, yet it carried an entire sword path that even divine weapons struggle to rival. That’s the principle here.”

“No matter how powerful a divine weapon is, if it falls into the hands of a petty person, it will gradually lose its spirit.”

“People often think the Celestial Divine Sword was forged by me, but that’s not true. What I crafted back then was merely a fine weapon. What truly made it a divine sword was Su Jun.”

“I repeatedly reforged it based on her sword path, and that’s how the divine sword came into being.”

Li Mo roughly understood Du Wufeng’s thoughts.

The old man was helping the two forge their weapons, but he was also using Ying Bing and Jiang Chulong’s sword paths to reforge the blades.

In the process, Du Wufeng’s forging skills would also have a chance to advance further.

Of course, this all depended on how far Ying Bing and Jiang Chulong could go in their own paths.

“I also want a weapon forged by Master Du.”

Zhong Zhenyue crossed his arms and sighed enviously. This meant that in the future, he would definitely have a weapon perfectly suited to his martial path, one that fused with his very life.

Nothing was more handy than a divine craftsman forging a weapon tailored exactly to your martial way.

But Ying Bing and Jiang Chulong didn’t seem very interested...

“I want one too, but my master said I’m just a wooden sword player for life.”

Xie Xuan curled his lips.

“How do you two feel about it?” Du Wufeng asked again, hope flickering in his eyes.

He had been stuck on the path of forging weapons for a long time.

If he could personally forge two divine weapons, perhaps he could break through to the legendary pinnacle of craftsmen—the Heavenly Work, capable of forging heavenly fate artifacts.

It would be a mutually beneficial arrangement.

Li Mo said nothing, letting Ying Bing and Jiang Chulong decide for themselves.

After all, his forging skills still needed to improve before he could forge legendary weapons worthy of their sword talents.

Ying Bing nodded, showing she understood: “Then I definitely want one personally forged by him.”

“I want one from Big Brother Li too.”

Jiang Chulong didn’t fully understand but just wanted one.

Du Wufeng: “.....”

The old man nearly lost his breath.

So all his earnest persuasion, his parched lips, had the opposite effect?

The atmosphere became a little awkward, and the passing craftsmen felt like they hadn’t fully woken up.

It wasn’t easy to get a divine craftsman to forge weapons. They were all old now, and every move was aimed at a final masterpiece—meaning the rankings on the Divine Weapon List might shift again.

Now, begging them to act, and still no chance.

“It’s not that we look down on him; when I was forging iron, Li Young Hero’s grandfather was still wearing open-crotch pants.”

“You want his forging technique to advance even further? That’s easy! I’ll teach him myself!”

Old Du was truly pulling out all the stops.

“Xiao Huo, call him senior brother!”

“Huh?”

Huo Bingzi’s mouth twitched. Although he looked like a middle-aged man, that was because martial artists have vigorous qi and blood.

In reality, he was already of grandfather’s generation.

“Se... senior brother.”

“??”

Xie Xuan scratched his head. “I... I... how am I supposed to call Brother Li that?”

A flash of wisdom gleamed in Zhong Zhenyue’s eyes. “You have to call him senior uncle, and call me uncle.”

“Get lost, none of your business.”

“To be guided by a divine craftsman is my honor, but...”

Li Mo hesitated. After all, he wasn’t following the traditional path of forging weapons.

“But what ‘but’? A real man doesn’t beat around the bush.”

“My forging technique... it’s a bit unconventional.”

“Heh, interesting. In the world of forging, there’s nothing I don’t understand.”

Du Wufeng revealed a faint, wry smile.

Youngsters are always like this—thinking their little flashes of inspiration make them special.

Who hasn’t been young once?

With that, Du Wufeng waved his big hand and led the way outside the main hall.

He took a deep drag from his pipe, exhaling a scorching breath that reignited the extinguished furnace.

“This fire seems unusual.”

Li Mo’s eyes flickered.

“Many craftsmen have their own fire seeds. This is the Fallen Star Flame I painstakingly collected. Open your eyes, boy.”

“Fallen Star Flame?”

Li Mo’s DNA nearly rebelled at the name—it sounded eerily familiar.

If so, could his karmic fire be used to forge weapons?

Well, apparently not yet. To reach the level of weapon forging, the inner and outer worlds must connect, and the scenery within one’s heart must be reflected, allowing the karmic fire to reach the perfect temper.

“Come, let me see just how extraordinary you truly are.”

At this moment, Du the Divine Craftsman’s voice came again.

Li Mo nodded, took off his pure yang robe, and handed it to the ice block.

His physique—strong, lean, and tall—was exposed to the furnace’s blaze like a red-hot masterpiece.

“Huh? This kid...”

Du Wufeng, Huo Bingzi, and the other craftsmen couldn’t help but brighten their eyes.

Those who understand the craft see the nuances—they could tell this kid’s physique was far beyond his years, and his rigorous training method even related to weapons.

“His path must be to treat himself as a weapon to be sharpened. Anyone daring to walk this road is ruthless.”

Huo Bingzi clicked his tongue in admiration.

Xie Xuan began mentally rating Li Mo’s physique.

In a normal competition, this would probably rank among the top in the physique display segment.

But who knew if the competition would proceed normally? There were always craftsmen who took crooked paths, resorting to forbidden medicines.

“Senior ancestor, what do you think of him...?”

Xie Xuan was about to ask Du Wufeng when he noticed the Divine Craftsman was staring intently at Li Mo.

More precisely, at the hammer in Li Mo’s hand.

“Senior ancestor, what is it?”

“It’s this... no, maybe not... it should be a divine weapon.”

Du Wufeng suddenly seemed dazed, mumbling to himself:

“But this hammer is exactly the same as the Panjie Meteor that the Heavenly Works Institute holds—even a replica can’t capture the divine aura carved from the same mold...”

At that very moment.

The furnace flames roared even fiercer, and a massive cauldron crashed heavily onto the ground.

Du Wufeng was stunned once again.

This forging cauldron was no less impressive than his own. Who exactly was this kid?

But that wasn’t all.

There was also that anvil, clearly emanating an aura sharing the same origin as his fallen Star Flame!

Now was not the time to ask questions, but Du Wufeng’s curiosity was undeniably piqued.

With these tools—ones even divine craftsmen couldn’t gather—what kind of weapon would this kid forge?

At this moment, young Li’s face turned solemn:

“Heat up the pot and boil the oil!”

“?”