Muran

May 29th, sunny weather.

The temperature...scorching hot!

Qin Ran made preparations and left Yue Lai Inn with Li Shiyin to go to Li Ben Mountain to retrieve a sword.

It was unclear whether it was due to the weather, Xu Zhiye using a volcano to forge swords, or simply psychological issues, but master and disciple felt particularly hot today. Though they both brought smoke-dispelling beads, they still felt as if they were in a sea of flames.

At the foot of Li Ben Mountain, Qin Ran looked up the mountain and saw the clouds above had been roasted red, fiery red, blood-like, condensed in a clump at the peak.

This was not a good omen, like the great misfortune foretold by diviners, and Qin Ran's heart grew heavy as the mountain before him weighed down his heart.

“Check the equipment,” he said to his silly female disciple.

Li Shiyin checked her universe pouch and all items were present.

“No issues,” she replied.

“Today...” Qin Ran looked at Li Shiyin solemnly and said, “There will be battle, after battle. Are you ready?”

How could Li Shiyin fear battle? Her eyes burned with flaming desire for combat and she exclaimed, “Let them come!”

“Alright...” Qin Ran suddenly laughed and said, “You should say you're always ready.”

“Huh?” Li Shiyin was puzzled.

To lighten the mood, Qin Ran shook his head without explaining. “Let’s ascend the mountain!” he said.

Li Ben Mountain was an active volcano whose surface was covered in magma rock, completely bare and rocky without anything else. But ever since Xu Zhiye moved here, he had sealed off the crater, turning the entire volcano into his smelting furnace, preventing magma from spewing out again.

Over time, with the rich nutrients in the magma rock, some vegetation had surprisingly grown on Li Ben Mountain. The plants were not lush or tall, but they covered the brownish red magma rock, giving Li Ben Mountain a somewhat verdant appearance.

When master and disciple reached midway up the mountain, Qin Ran suddenly sensed something and gestured for Li Shiyin behind him to stop.

Li Shiyin halted in place as a hot wind blew over, originating from higher ground, sweeping over their faces, scalding hot, blowing past the short bushes at the wayside down the mountain.

Then, the ground started shaking, faintly at first with sand and debris dancing gently, but the tremors rapidly intensified, with loose rocks tumbling down from above. The vibrations grew stronger and stronger until it seemed the entire mountain was bouncing.

Qin Ran grabbed Li Shiyin and encased them in an air bubble, then broke contact with the ground and floated up slowly.

Below, the whole mountain was shaking, accompanied by a loud rumbling noise.

Suspended midair, Qin Ran watched the mountain bushes sway violently as if they were frenzied youths at a dance club.

At one point, the ground could take no more and split open with a crack, then more and more fissures opened up as if on cue, the whole mountain surface shattering like dry clay under immense heat.

Hot air erupted from the gaps and the surface vegetation swiftly withered then turned yellow and brittle...

The rumbling sounds continued, but at one point, they were pierced by the cry of a sword.

Then...a tremendous boom that shook heaven and earth resounded, with shockwaves rippling outward like substantial waves.

Qin Ran peered solemnly in the direction of the loud eruption, which was the mountain peak...

The top of Li Ben Mountain had exploded, spewing smoke and debris, but the situation remained unclear.

“Don't tell me the sword furnace blew up?” Qin Ran worried internally. “The sword forging failed?”

Just as he was thinking this, the wind and clouds underwent drastic change. The red clouds in the sky rapidly converged, seemingly absorbing the billowing smoke from the mountaintop, swiftly turning black, as more clouds gathered to blot out the sun, oppressively darkening the sky, whipped into a frenzy by violent winds...

“Heavenly tribulation?” Qin Ran's heart quivered as an unthinkable guess formed.

Between breaths, daylight turned to midnight, with stars emerging and converging beams of starlight piercing through the darkness, striking the smoke at the peak.

“Rumble...” Electric snakes writhed within the amassed black clouds as peals of thunder rumbled between heaven and earth.

At this time, Xu Zhiye’s voice rang out from the mountaintop, “Name?!”

Li Shiyin knew he was asking for the sword’s name. She stepped forward, placing her palm on the resilient air bubble membrane and looked back at Qin Ran.

Qin Ran returned her gaze but said nothing. Naturally, only the sword's master could name his or her own lifebound weapon.

Li Shiyin peered at the mountaintop again. She hesitated briefly before calling out loudly, “Mu Ran!”

“Mu Ran?” Xu Zhiye echoed. “Night has fallen, not bad!”

Li Shiyin opened her mouth, wanting to correct him that it wasn’t that “mu ran”, but ultimately lacked the courage.

Only...listening in, Qin Ran understood her meaning. Complex emotions surged forth, brimming his eyes as he watched the girl’s back with an extremely complicated expression.

“Crack boom!”

A bolt of heavenly tribulation lightning split down from the clouds into the volcanic smoke.

The smoke was partially dispersed, vaguely revealing a glowing sword suspended within.

“Crack boom!”

Another lightning bolt struck down, blowing away more smoke. A glittering sword hovered in the darkness.

“Crack boom!”

A final lightning bolt crashed down from the clouds onto the sword, the electricity absorbed by the blade with purple currents continuously flickering along its length.

After the tribulation passed, the clouds gradually thinned, and day returned between breaths, with clearing skies and fading stars. Aside from the sword still swirling with lightning midair and the countless cracks splitting the ground, it was as if everything had reverted to normal.

Qin Ran took a deep breath, trying his best to calm his emotions. He manipulated the air bubble to fly straight from halfway up the mountain to the peak, stopping before Xu Zhiye’s residence.

Xu Zhiye was in a separate courtyard, covered in dirt and grime, clearly weary.

He glanced at Qin Ran and said, “Don’t do that again...”

Meaning not to directly fly over anymore.

Qin Ran nodded.

Xu Zhiye flung out a hand and the sword darting with electricity was drawn over into his palm. Gripping the blade, he looked at Qin Ran and said, “The quality of this sword has at least reached low-grade spirit weapon level. You know the limits of a Star Luminescence Stone, so the difference in value is what you owe me.”

A Star Luminescence Stone could at best reach top-grade magic treasure level, never spirit weapon.

Qin Ran took out a porcelain bottle from his universe pouch and tossed it over. “Inside are nine medicinal pills called Fire-Banishing Pills. One pellet can eliminate all the fire toxicity within you. Nine pellets will last you many years.”

Xu Zhiye caught it and cracked open the jade seal to inspect the contents, nodding in satisfaction. He popped one pill into his mouth.

Qin Ran fished out Xu Zhiye’s sword-shaped token from his pouch, imprinting it with his spiritual sense before flinging it over as well. “At any time, you can bring this token to request me to concoct pills. As long as it’s within my ability, I’ll refine whatever you need free of charge.”

Not everyone was as unprincipled as himself. Xu Zhiye understood this clearly. He accepted the token and probed the spiritual sense mark left by Qin Ran... Indeed, the fusion of this eccentric’s token and Qin Ran’s spiritual imprint was one-of-a-kind.

But he replied, “You’re only at Foundation Establishment realm right now though.”

What useful pills could someone at Foundation Establishment even produce? Was it worth a low-grade spirit weapon?

“I can advance to Core Formation whenever I wish,” Qin Ran retorted confidently.

Xu Zhiye’s eyes flashed sharply. This arrogant and confident youth! But he wasn’t referring to Qin Ran’s assurance that he could advance his cultivation realm anytime. Rather, it was his understanding towards cultivation, control over his boundaries, and confidence in his own potential.

Xu Zhiye stared at Qin Ran for a while before laughing loudly and flinging the sword to Li Shiyin. “Alright!”

Li Shiyin caught the blade. The electricity had vanished and what remained was an unearthly gorgeous sword. It appeared to be a frozen slice of the galaxy condensed into sword form, exquisite, dream-like, seemingly a work of art.

This was her sword. Examining the hilt, she saw the name engraved upon it. Mu Ran. Mu Ran Sword. She sighed softly to herself.

"This sword can be considered the representative work of my career..." Xu Zhiye said, "But precisely because of this, refining it will be even more difficult. Little girl, although it was forged for you and is now in your hands, whether or not it can become your personal sword is still uncertain. There is still a long way for you two to go."