Just as the blade Longing settled into Jiang Wang's grasp, it was as if the Painting Sage had laid down his final, defining stroke—the true dragon departed from the scroll.
Jiang Wang felt his hand had been yearning for this sword all along.
And he sensed that this sword had been yearning for his hand, too.
In the instant he gripped the hilt, he felt his sword style become whole. In that moment, he understood the strike he had unleashed within the Heavenly Treasury Secret Realm.
Because that strike had already taken form in his heart.
All fatigue vanished in a sweep.
Were it not for the blade furnace standing nearby, he would have nearly drawn the sword and let out a triumphant cry, yearning to dance with it right there.
Only when he held Longing did his spirit, energy, and will merge as one, and only then was the sword truly forged.
Hum—
Clang!
The blade sang of its own accord.
That single note from Longing felt like a proclamation.
At that very moment, the massive sword formation guarding the Lian clan's blade furnace stirred.
Countless broken swords emitted a resonant hum.
As if cheering in joy, or perhaps unwilling to fade into obscurity.
Sword light shimmered like stars, sword light flickered like sparks.
Sword qi surged toward the heavens, sword cries echoed in all directions!
The entire Lian clan—no, the entire Nanyao City—erupted in excitement.
The sword formation resonated on its own.
This was the sign of a Famed Weapon's birth.
The ancient texts recorded: "Only instruments and titles may not be bestowed upon others; they are the sovereign's dominion."
This meant that power must never be yielded to another—the ruler must wield authority and grace personally.
Instruments are the outward rites of ceremony; titles are the marks of dignity and rank. Both are manifestations of supreme authority.
And within the realm of weaponsmithing, only the finest blades could be granted the title of Famed Weapon.
They could endure through millennia, symbolizing a weaponsmith's highest achievement.
Since the Lian clan had established Nanyao City, only three blades had emerged from the blade furnace bearing that name.
Counting the saber furnace and spear furnace—the Lian clan only preserved these three ancient furnaces—
and all works forged outside these ancient furnaces,
over several centuries, only twelve Famed Weapons had been produced.
These twelve alone had elevated the Lian clan to one of the five great holy lands of weaponsmithing.
And now, a third Famed Weapon had appeared from the blade furnace—the thirteenth Famed Weapon of the Lian clan!
The entire city was in an uproar.
Just after the Famed Weapon's birth and the sword formation's self-resonance,
Lian Que suddenly burst into hearty laughter, utterly exhilarated.
His spirit, energy, and will crystallized to an extreme in that moment, his entire being like a blazing furnace, his aura erupting with vigor.
Behind him, the blade furnace's flames rose in response, as if answering his call.
In the void behind him, a portal manifested.
It was the Gate of Heaven and Earth!
Outsiders could only catch a faint glimpse of it.
Most of the time, only the individual themselves could perceive the Gate's true form.
At that instant, the portal burst open with a thunderous roar!
Vital energy surged and boiled, as if on fire.
It seemed an undying furnace had ignited within Lian Que's very body.
He had seized the opportunity of forging a Famed Weapon to push open the Gate of Heaven and Earth in a single stroke!
Jiang Wang, standing nearby, faintly heard the sound of a dragon's roar.
That was Lian Que crossing the barrier between heaven and earth, his Dao meridian soaring like a dragon, the dragon entering the sea of the torso.
The human body possesses four seas, the spinal sea being the first. When the Dao meridian and spinal sea overlap, this first sea is directly called the Celestial Palace. Of course, the Celestial Palace would "soar like a dragon" and depart, swimming into the second sea.
The torso sea is the second sea, also known as the Five Viscera Temple.
This realm is the Soaring Dragon realm; when a cultivator reaches this point, it is as if a divine dragon has risen from the abyss.
Someone as powerful as Wang Yiwu, who found the Gate of Heaven and Earth too fragile, was an exception.
Generally, the stronger one was, the harder it was to open the Gate of Heaven and Earth.
Lian Que had believed he would still need two more years of refinement, never expecting to succeed in a single day.
Just as he had only wanted to pour everything into forging a sword for Jiang Wang, seeking nothing but to owe no debt, he had not expected to create a Famed Weapon.
Longing not only represented Lian Que's total devotion, but also fully embodied Jiang Wang's spirit, energy, and will.
Lian Que glanced at Longing in Jiang Wang's hand before looking at him, saying: "No matter what happens later, don't be surprised. It's all a normal occurrence."
Before Jiang Wang could fully grasp the meaning of his words, Lian Que formed a seal, and the sword formation opened wide!
Earlier, when they had entered, only a narrow path had been cleared. But now Lian Que opened the entire sword formation—though the blades stood like a forest, they could no longer obstruct the view.
Thus, the entire blade furnace, including Lian Que and Jiang Wang standing before it, was instantly exposed to a sea of eager gazes.
"Lian Que!"
"Young Master Lian Que!"
"Brother Que! Over here!"
"Que'er, it's Que'er! He's done well! Truly remarkable!"
Nanyao City was a city of weaponsmiths.
The birth of a Famed Weapon was the grandest event for the entire city.
Aside from those truly unable to leave their posts, nearly everyone gathered near the Lian estate. Even if they couldn't see the Famed Weapon, they wished to bask in its auspicious aura.
And those qualified to surround the blade furnace were naturally members of the Lian clan.
Everywhere one looked, it was a sea of faces. Every ear heard only praise.
It was as if all the cold mockery Lian Que had endured within the clan before was nothing but a shattered dream, a fleeting illusion.
Lian Que, riding the momentum of his Dao meridian's soaring dragon and the prestige of forging a famed sword, bowed in salute in all directions.
He was forthright and not one for eloquence, but with his pride restored, it was impossible not to feel elated.
After spending this time together, Jiang Wang had come to know Lian Que much better.
His standing within the Lian clan was similar to Chongxuan Sheng's position in his own family—both were of the main line's direct bloodline, yet neither was the first in line for succession.
Compared to Chongxuan Sheng, Lian Que harbored no such ambition. He was utterly devoted to the craft of weaponsmithing and had little interest in anything else, which made his life somewhat easier.
But some things were not a matter of whether he wished to contend for them; others would not rest easy regardless.
Just as his journey to the Heavenly Treasury Secret Realm was a simple pursuit of breakthrough, yet after his failed return, he was immediately thrust into a maelstrom of public opinion.
However, now that he had forged Longing, his position was essentially secured.
If he truly set his sights on the clan chief's seat, his chances would increase greatly. Given his temperament, the outcome was hard to predict.
The crowd parted at that moment, and a tall, ruddy-faced elder strode through, followed by a grand procession.
Lian Que bowed respectfully: "Clan Chief!"
As Lian Que's friend, Jiang Wang also offered a proper bow.
"Good, good! Little Que'er has done well!"
Lian Zhuping, the current clan chief of the Lian clan, praised in a resonant voice. He then turned to Jiang Wang—though the majority of his attention was on the Longing in Jiang Wang's hand: "This must be your friend, Jiang Wang, I presume?"
Without waiting for Jiang Wang's reply, he offered another commendation: "Good. A promising divine ability, a young hero! You do not disgrace this blade."
Jiang Wang could only reply modestly: "You flatter me, sir."
"Come, hand it over." Lian Zhuping extended his hand—his palm was broad and powerful, looking utterly formidable.
"This..." Seeing the elder's gaze, which seemed as if he might devour Longing whole, Jiang Wang instinctively tightened his grip on the sword.
"Relax, he's not robbing you." Lian Que nudged him, whispering: "After a blade is forged, it must still be wrapped with a hilt wrap, adorned with a tassel, and fitted with a scabbard. Then an ancestral rite and a declaration to heaven must be performed. Only after all that is the forging ceremony truly complete. Only then will the sword be returned to your hands."
"Oh, is it really that troublesome?" Jiang Wang looked visibly reluctant.
In his mind, he could simply take the sword and leave. He could wrap the hilt, attach the tassel, and fit the scabbard himself. Why waste more time here?
Those Lian clan elders were all staring at Longing with expressions that were quite... peculiar.
"Just hand it over when told, stop being so long-winded! A sword this eye-catching—it's not going to run away, is it?"
If it weren't for the crowd watching, Lian Que would have been sorely tempted to give the young man a kick. His miserly display was quite something.
Ordinary blades might not require such ceremony. But this was a Famed Weapon—a blade destined to be known across the kingdoms. How could they not make a grand spectacle of it!
Of course, Lian Que also wanted to let Jiang Wang witness what the Soaring Dragon realm truly looked like.
Otherwise, there might not be another chance like this. By the time Jiang Wang also opened his Gate of Heaven and Earth and, relying on the divine ability he had long sensed, quickly broke through into the Inner Fane realm...
Since Lian Que had spoken, though reluctant, Jiang Wang handed over Longing, which he had barely had time to warm in his grasp.
Though Lian Zhuping appeared advanced in years, his movements were remarkably swift. He took Longing, spun around, and vanished from sight in an instant.
"Wait, hey—!"
Jiang Wang grew anxious.
"It's fine, he's just gone to the ancestral hall." Lian Que patted his shoulder reassuringly. "You must strive harder in the future. Longing's destiny will be shaped by your own."
After days of working together, forging the sword as one, they had grown quite close.
Lian Que's voice was filled with anticipation: "I wonder if it will one day appear on the Famed Weapon Registry—and what rank it might achieve!"