Volume 5, Chapter 51 – Forging the Sword (2-in-1)

After the ancestral rites were over, the Bai family group returned to the dojo.

At Zhennan, inside the long-unvisited Listening-to-Rain Tower, Bai Xiang picked up “Feixiang Heaven” and carefully felt that strange sensation of flesh and blood being joined as one.

If one magnified the scene with a microscope or some similar instrument and looked into the microscopic world, one would see that where the hilt of “Feixiang Heaven” touched Bai Xiang’s palm, extremely fine threads of flesh had actually grown out.

Those threads pierced the skin of Bai Xiang’s palm, merged with the blood vessels beneath her flesh, and with extreme greed devoured the blood essence and heartforce being sent over from inside her body.

Qing’er had indeed wanted to help her nourish the sword, but no matter how much “Feixiang Heaven” acknowledged her, someone else’s blood was still someone else’s blood. It was not the same as Bai Xiang herself, this “Origin.”

“Too slow.”

After meditating in a seated posture for a while, Bai Xiang opened her eyes, picked up the Dao sword, and examined it closely. She was not satisfied with the efficiency of its recovery.

It had eaten quite a lot of blood essence and heartforce, but all it had recovered to was a state where it was merely usable under normal circumstances.

A weapon of this level was less helpful to her than the Shenming Sword. It was not just that its power was inferior. The Shenming Sword could also be shattered without pity and embedded throughout all the orifices in her body to further stimulate her strength, but there was no way she could do that to “Feixiang Heaven.”

As for using it in ordinary combat… with her current cultivation realm, against enemies below the Saint Realm, there seemed to be no real difference between holding a tree branch and holding “Feixiang Heaven.”

While thinking, Bai Xiang tried using the power of qi-force as a driving force to manipulate the void and attach “void bursts” to the edge of “Feixiang Heaven.”

The moment she tried, dense “void bursts” blasted countless tiny dents into the metal along the blade’s edge.

They were invisible to the naked eye, but in the microscopic world, that patch already looked like a piece of ground struck by meteorites, riddled with pits and craters, too awful to behold.

That was with her stopping in time. Otherwise, it might even have snapped.

“Even if it fully recovers like this, it still won’t help in a battle at the Saint Realm.”

“The problem isn’t whether I can gain an extra extension of my limbs. The problem is that right now, there isn’t a single weapon that can fully withstand the power of microscopic void bursts.”

That was what Bai Xiang was truly dissatisfied with.

During that meditation just now, what she had simulated was her underwater battle with the saint Fang Yang. The result of the simulation was this: regardless of whether this natal Dao sword recovered to its peak state, if all she wanted was to use it to slice space a little and flick out shockwaves, then it was basically meaningless.

Ordinary techniques, slashes, and thrusts were ineffective against a saint’s body coated in microscopic void bursts. They simply could not break through that defense.

And whether it was the Shenming Sword or her natal sword, at least at their current stage, neither of them could bear having microscopic void bursts attached to the blade edge. The destructive force was just too great. Their materials simply could not endure it.

The Shenming Sword could at least be broken. Back then, that was exactly why she had shattered it.

But “Feixiang Heaven” could not be used that way.

Something of the same origin as her own life… Bai Xiang suspected that if she really did that, “Feixiang Heaven” might simply fuse completely with her flesh and body and never be removable again.

“You were the one lagging behind before, and you’re the one lagging behind now.”

Bai Xiang flicked the edge of the Dao sword.

“Tell me, where exactly am I supposed to find something else for you to devour and evolve?”

Ying ying…

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“Feixiang Heaven” responded with a sword-hum, its clear note carrying a hint of grievance.

“Oh…” Bai Xiang narrowed her eyes dangerously. “So the fact that I’ve tempered my body too well has somehow become my fault…”

Ying…!

The sword-hum immediately rose in pitch, and the sword edge trembled slightly. It was impossible to tell whether it was shaking its head or trembling in fear.

“My strongest methods have become my own fists and feet.” Bai Xiang had no intention of truly blaming it. She merely stared into empty space, somewhat lost in thought.

“If this keeps up, I won’t be able to become a sword immortal.”

Bai Xiang was not deeply obsessed with becoming a sword immortal. At the very least, that obsession was nowhere near as deep as her obsession with surviving and seeking immortality.

But she had always valued her promises. Back then, she had made a wish to this Dao sword that they would pass through eighty thousand great tribulations together. If she could not fulfill that promise, it would feel as though a piece of her heart were missing. No matter how she looked at it, it felt wrong.

“This thing has already been contaminated by my flesh and blood. It’s completely different in nature from a weapon like the Shenming Sword, which, although it carries the Heavenly Dao Divine Pool, is still fundamentally forged from external materials.”

Still seated in meditation, Bai Xiang raised the sword again and examined it carefully.

“The Heavenly Stem Precious Jade is already gone. It was used in forging the Shenming Sword and in laying down the Heavenly Dao Divine Pool.”

“And even if I still had some, if all I did was let it devour ordinary mortal weapons, the efficiency of its evolution would probably be painfully slow.”

This was not Bai Xiang being pessimistic. Rather, the quality of this sword had already surpassed an upper-tier sacred weapon. If even a sword of this level was not enough, then how could feeding it weapons far inferior to itself possibly spur it to evolve?

As she thought, Bai Xiang simply closed her eyes and poured all her attention into the Jade Spirit, using it to rapidly run calculations in search of a way to improve her Dao sword.

“Devouring won’t work. The efficiency is too low, and it requires Heavenly Stem Precious Jade. The conditions aren’t there.”

“Reforging won’t work either. This sword has already mutated. It’s different from other weapons. Reforging it might destroy it.”

“This won’t work, and that won’t work either.”

“So there really is a limit after all.”

Bai Xiang let out a sigh inwardly.

At that moment, a term suddenly surfaced from the database of information provided by the Jade Spirit: Sacred Weapon Clan.

What the hell is that.

I actually came up with something this terrifying? Researching how to obtain a brand-new life form by devouring my Dao sword?

“No. Absolutely not.”

Bai Xiang shook her head almost in sync with “Feixiang Heaven.”

If this had been back when she had first entered the Dao, she might have been able to accept something like fusing with a sword. But now that she knew the sword was a living thing, and that it had already fought alongside her for so long, she could not do something so callous as abandoning it.

Even so, though that plan would not work, it still gave Bai Xiang some inspiration.

“Having me devour ‘Feixiang Heaven’ definitely won’t work. But what if I think about it the other way around… and let ‘Feixiang Heaven’ devour more of me?”

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It sounded a little bloody and brutal, but it had been eating her blood essence all this time anyway, so the word “devour” was not exactly wrong.

Compared to the Shenming Sword, its one unique advantage was that soul-abilities could be poured into it and used to alter the inside of the sword body.

It was precisely because it had consumed enough blood essence and heartforce, together with the influence of soul-abilities, that it had developed vitality so quickly.

“So I need to accelerate that influence and feed it more?”

“My body can withstand void bursts because I possess the Three Flowers and my body cultivation has reached this level.”

“Is it possible to let it cultivate the body too, through feeding it flesh and blood and altering it with soul-abilities?”

This was absolutely a lazy idea, because Bai Xiang had already realized that every time she advanced in realm from now on, she might face the problem of her weapons not keeping up with her body’s strength, yet she would not necessarily have ample time every time to improve her weapons.

But if “Feixiang Heaven” could gain orifices and meridians and be incorporated into Bai Xiang’s cultivation system, then it seemed like this problem could be solved once and for all. It might even further strengthen Bai Xiang’s own body.

After all, “Feixiang Heaven” counted as her avatar.

If “Feixiang Heaven” gained additional orifices and meridians, how would that be any different from Bai Xiang herself gaining additional orifices and meridians?

At that point, her body and qi methods would certainly become even stronger, and her qi-force would also be able to drive even more void bursts. Every problem would be solved at once.

“Let’s try it.”

With a new idea in mind, Bai Xiang immediately began experimenting on “Feixiang Heaven.”

Ying…?

“Don’t get excited. This is for your own good.”

Ying!

“You actually already have this many blood vessels and meridians inside you? And they look like a total mess. Did they grow wildly over the last ten years?”

Ying!?

“This is a bit difficult… your material itself isn’t good enough. That’s a fatal flaw.”

Ying ying ying!!!

After that high-pitched burst of sword-hum, everything seemed to turn bland and utterly devoid of meaning.

Bai Xiang struck a thoughtful pose, gripped “Feixiang Heaven,” and set it aside.

The sword now looked somewhat wilted and dispirited, as if it only needed a little scribbled swirl drawn above its head.

“I still need Heavenly Stem Precious Jade.”

After a long while, Bai Xiang reached her final conclusion.

Modifying a sword so that it possessed orifices and meridians and could be incorporated into its master’s cultivation system was the sort of thing that would sound like pure fantasy if spoken aloud.

But Bai Xiang had soul-abilities. So long as soul-abilities could enter the sword, then by using the method of soul-vision of the Body-scape, it was not impossible for her to simulate and trial-and-error her way toward a suitable plan.

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The crux of the problem was that the sword’s material was too fragile.

Even if it had already surpassed an upper-tier sacred weapon, it still could not be handled like this. The issue involved structural collapse. Without sufficiently strong material to reinforce it, the plan could not even begin.

That was the concrete reason Heavenly Stem Precious Jade was required. The jade itself could serve as material, and beyond that, it could borrow power from the Heavenly Dao, tamper with rules, and interfere with every form of real matter.

With the task of “finding jade” added to her schedule, Bai Xiang slid the Dao sword back into its sheath, fastened it at her waist, and walked out with her left hand resting on the hilt.

Bai Zhuqing was bathing.

The entire Listening-to-Rain Tower, and even more than half of Zhennan Base City, lay within the range of Taishang Response. Forget that girl; Bai Xiang knew what everyone else was doing as well.

After her bath, Bai Zhuqing came out and immediately saw Bai Xiang sitting upright at the table, looking at a display screen.

Then her gaze shifted and landed on Bai Xiang’s hand resting on the sword hilt.

That was not a habit she had had in the past. Bai Zhuqing frowned and asked naturally, “Still no good?”

“It doesn’t help much.”

Bai Xiang shook her head, her eyes still fixed on the screen.

“You don’t need to blame yourself either.”

“Leaving aside the fact that you couldn’t have helped me at the time, if I’d known in advance that drawing the sword would cost you that much blood-soul essence, I wouldn’t have agreed to it.”

What had happened by the poolside was still recent enough. The moment Bai Xiang brought it up, Bai Zhuqing could not help blushing.

She had certainly talked tough, but halfway through the process she had suddenly wilted. The reason was that she had not had enough blood-soul essence. Both body and mind had become utterly drained, to the point that she could not even summon that kind of desire anymore, and Bai Xiang had seen the whole embarrassing display.

Still, it had not been entirely without gain.

Bai Zhuqing could clearly feel that Bai Xiang’s attitude toward her had become warmer.

In the past, with the influence of the Illusory God between them, acceptance had merely been acceptance. The reason for that acceptance had not been love, but something more like compensation, guilt, and the determination to uphold what was right.

If she had only felt she should fulfill this affection because of Bai Zhuqing’s long persistence, if that was how “upholding what was right” was to be understood, then the moment they both discovered the existence of the Illusory God, that logic would no longer hold.

Because the very precondition of that logic, “persistence,” had been broken.

That had not been true persistence at all. It had merely been temptation and influence brought about by the Illusory God.

Only after breaking free of the Illusory God’s influence and laying everything bare once more like this could the relationship between the two of them return to normal.

“Qing’er, come here.”

Bai Xiang called Bai Zhuqing over and, almost unconsciously, took her hand, wanting to have her sit beside her.

After all, the bench was wide. There was more than enough room for one more person.

But Bai Zhuqing did not sit down directly.

Under Bai Xiang’s astonished gaze, she slid one arm behind her back and the other beneath the crook of her knees, lifted the Great Xia Empress up sideways in her arms, sat down herself, and then settled the empress on her lap… or rather, held her in her embrace.

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“…”

Bai Xiang narrowed her eyes and turned her head sideways to look at her.

Bai Zhuqing swallowed, then said with feigned composure, “A hard chair isn’t comfortable. This servant is merely serving as a cushion for Your Majesty.”

Bai Xiang could not be bothered to expose her. She simply leaned back against her younger sister and really did use her as a cushion, then pointed at something on the screen and said, “Here… send some people to keep a close watch on this place later.”

Bai Zhuqing looked, and saw that what was displayed on the screen was precisely the deployment map of Wangchuan Base City.

“I already sent people.” She curled her lips upward, her tone carrying a trace of pride. “That special kind of bluestone mine too. I’ve already contacted Qiao Wen. That mountain is now under heavy guard.”

Her reaction had been pretty fast.

Still a little unaccustomed to it, Bai Xiang continued, “Then if I want to search for Heavenly Stem Precious Jade, the so-called Order-Preserving Treasure of legend…”

“You can directly issue a Search Order.” Bai Zhuqing immediately followed up. “While you were gone, I issued two Search Orders in your name, both to look for treasures that could replenish blood and qi for your sword, but it wouldn’t eat them. A pity.”

“‘Search Order’? Do I need to summon people?”

“There’s no need to make it that troublesome.” While breathing in Bai Xiang’s fragrance, Bai Zhuqing wrapped an arm around her body, braced her left hand on the table, and used the mouse with her right hand. “You just send it out using your authority, and someone will naturally come to collect the sacred token. All you need to do is record your voice and qi power into the sacred token as an anti-counterfeiting marker, and have them spread the sacred token outward.”

I see.

Bai Xiang watched Bai Zhuqing operate it and silently memorized the steps, unaware that the slight sway of her hair was brushing against the other’s nose and making her want to sneeze.

Sure enough, after a little while, someone came to take the token. Its full name was the Imperial Court Jade Order, the same kind carried by Qiao Wen of Wangchuan. It could store a voice condensed from qi power.

Because every person’s qi power was unique, it still could not be forged.

And so, the work of modifying “Feixiang Heaven” was now officially underway.

Bai Zhuqing had blank Imperial Court Jade Orders on hand. Bai Xiang made several dozen and had the messengers take them away, and suddenly had the feeling that being emperor was actually pretty easy.

After all, it was Bai Xiang’s first time being emperor. She had no experience. Before this, she had always felt it was a responsibility. She did not have to wear herself out completely and die in the attempt, perhaps, but she certainly could not be some foolish tyrant. She had to protect the safety of the people, or at the very least accomplish something worthy of that throne.

But looking at it now, the benefits to be enjoyed were not few either.

If she were not emperor, then finding treasure would mean running her legs off, and she might still fail to find it.

But as emperor, she could openly and properly mobilize the strength of the entire country to search for it on her behalf, and she did not need to explain herself at all.

That felt pretty good.

Kind of refreshing.

“Big Sister.” Bai Zhuqing spoke again, now switching to a serious tone.

“Third Uncle just came to see me.”

“From the sound of it, he wants you to help make introductions and arrange a marriage for his branch of the family.”