Summer had arrived, and the scorching sun hung high in the sky. The Yuan Academy in Muxing City was more restless than usual. Numerous fighters filled the arena, with many engaging in conflicts. As soon as one stepped onto the battlefield, they could witness Yuan Power clashing in the air.
Unlike before, the Yuan Power now was several times stronger. The wind generated by its passage could even lift the hem of Ji Bozai’s robe.
“I find this ‘Starry Dreams’ more effective than Thunderbolt,” one fighter remarked.
“Hah, that’s because your Yuan Power is too soft. You can’t handle Thunderbolt properly. Watch this!” another retorted.
A massive purple Yuan Power attack rushed towards Ji Bozai’s face. He calmly tilted his head, his expression unchanged. The stone wall behind him was punctured, leaving a gaping hole.
Chu He and Fan Yao were startled and quickly withdrew their attack. They awkwardly said, “You’ve arrived early today.”
Scanning the arena, Ji Bozai noticed that several fighters now wielded superior divine weapons.
He pressed his lips together and said coldly, “The Six Cities Tournament only allows the use of divine weapons in the Divine Weapon Hall segment. Don’t rely too heavily on these things.”
“We know, we know,” Fan Yao said, weighing the divine weapon in his hand. “But you can’t deny how useful these are. Ming Yi’s ingenuity is remarkable. The divine weapons she creates are both light and convenient, greatly amplifying Yuan’s Power. Such talent would surely stand out even in Chaoyang City, don’t you think?”
“Indeed,” Chu He muttered. “I think she’s underpricing her work, barely covering the cost. Once she finishes the orders for the academy, I want to commission a couple more from her privately.”
Ji Bozai listened with a cold expression, then strode towards the Forging Hall.
Since Ming Yi was a woman, Qin Shangwu had set up Yuan Power formations around the Forging Hall, preventing students from wandering in at will. Those eager to see their divine weapons completed could only hang on the walls, anxiously peering inside.
Ming Yi no longer wore her light gauzy dresses. Instead, she donned a plain cyan robe, her hair tied up in a high bun. She looked less coquettish and more spirited. Focused intently on polishing a component, she applied her earth-yellow Yuan Power, instantly transforming the rough surface into a mirror-like finish.
A chorus of admiration rose from those perched on the wall.
Ji Bozai stood at the entrance of the Forging Hall and said flatly, “I’m here to collect my item.”
Ming Yi looked up with a smile. She had just finished polishing the last component and placed it into the divine weapon’s groove. She then picked up the entire weapon and tossed it towards him.
Though it appeared heavy, it flew through the air with surprising lightness, landing in his palm with a strong spiritual energy.
“It doesn’t have a name. Lord Ji can name it as you wish,” she said. “From today onwards, this is your divine weapon.”
The previous one she made for Sun Liao wasn’t her best work. This time, to justify its price, Ming Yi had spent seven days meticulously improving it. She was quite satisfied with the result and believed Ji Bozai would be too.
However, the man at the door merely glanced at it briefly before storing it in his meridians. “This thing will only be useful during the Six Cities Tournament,” he said dismissively.
Ming Yi raised an eyebrow. “My Lord doesn’t practice with it?”
“Practice with it? For what purpose?” He sneered. “If one relies on divine weapons to enhance their Yuan Power, what happens when they no longer have access to them? Wouldn’t that lead to discomfort?”
Neither of them was the type to rely on external forces, both believing that in this world, only they were truly dependable.
Ming Yi understood this, but she countered, “The Divine Weapon Hall competition not only tests the strength of the divine weapons but also evaluates one’s proficiency in using them. Chaoyang City always sends their forging masters to compete in this event, but Muxing City has no forging masters, putting us at a natural disadvantage. If you don’t practice, my Lord, there’s no point in forging this divine weapon.”
“There was no point in forging it to begin with,” he said, his eyes indifferent. “At least not for me.”
It seemed he had come to pick a fight.
Seven days had passed since she entered the Yuan Academy. During this time, she hadn’t seen him, and Ming Yi thought they had finally left each other alone. Who would have thought that at their first encounter, he still wouldn’t let her off easy?
With his formidable strength, he could indeed look down on those who relied on divine weapons to enhance their Yuan Power. However, if he didn’t take the Divine Weapon Hall challenge in the Six Cities Tournament seriously, it would be difficult for Muxing City to break into the top three cities.
Not wanting to argue further, Ming Yi began working on the mold for the next divine weapon.
Ji Bozai held considerable influence in the Yuan Academy. His attitude towards Ming Yi inevitably led many to follow suit. Moreover, the fact that Ming Yi, a woman, received the same treatment as them already irked many. After Ji Bozai left, numerous people came to collect their divine weapons, nitpicking and finding fault.
“This thing’s power is mediocre. What use is it?”
“Take it back and reforge it. I don’t like it.”
Xiu Yun, who was helping nearby, was furious. “When you ordered these divine weapons, you all nodded in agreement. Now that they’re forged, you suddenly don’t like them?”
Several students looked at her contemptuously. “If we say we don’t like it, we don’t like it. Reforge it.”
“You…” Xiu Yun was about to argue when Ming Yi held her arm.
“It seems you gentlemen have misunderstood something,” she said, standing before the forging table, her posture as straight as jade, her eyes sharp as blades. “When it comes to divine weapons, I decide who to forge for, not the other way around. If you don’t like them, melt them down and don’t come asking again. There are plenty of others waiting in line.”
As if in response to her words, several students hanging on the outer walls immediately shouted, “Forge mine first!”
“That light iron is good. Melt it down and forge one for me!”
Ming Yi raised her hand, and the two divine weapons that had been handed out flew back from their hands, landing on the forging table.
The two students were shocked, staring at their empty hands in disbelief. How could a woman so easily snatch objects from their grasp?
They must not have held on tightly enough, they thought.
Flexing their fingers, the two students said reluctantly, “Master Qin instructed you to forge a divine weapon for each of us.”
“I came here at your Master Qin’s request. I didn’t beg to enter the Yuan Academy,” Ming Yi said with a faint smile that didn’t reach her eyes. “I’m doing you a favor, not owing Master Qin anything. Using him to pressure me won’t work. Since you two don’t like the divine weapons I forged, go seek someone more skilled.”
With that, the two divine weapons, crafted to suit their Yuan Power habits, immediately fell into the smelting furnace.
The two students hadn’t expected Ming Yi to be so unyielding. They couldn’t stop her in time and could only watch helplessly as their divine weapons melted back into soft iron. Before they could speak, the great door slammed shut with a loud “bang.”
Ming Yi spat quietly in disgust. As she turned around, she met Xiu Yun’s surprisingly bright eyes.
“W-what is it?” she asked, looking down at herself.
Xiu Yun flew at her with a hug, exclaiming sincerely, “You’re amazing!”
In the past, there was only one path for women to enter the Yuan Academy: becoming an Iris Lady, subject to selection by these fighters. But now, Ming Yi had paved a second path, one that didn’t require bowing to these people’s whims. It was truly a moment of triumph.