Ying didn't delay any minute. She immediately left and went to the mountain on Chu and Yue's border. Ou Yezi lives in seclusion with his family and disciples.
Ying arrived at Ou Yezi's place, located in a valley near a waterfall and a river. The weather was cooler than the outside. Ou Yezi said that the place environment was the most suitable to make weapons.
Ou Yezi happily received Snow Eagle, who was recommended by Xuanye - one of his best disciples.
Snow Eagle, aka Xue Ying - proved herself to be a hard-worker smart disciple. Her hard labor when she's under Mister Yao and his wife enabled her to adopt the harsh life of sword-forger.
Her three years of training could be compared to those trained for seven to ten years. It all because of her hard work and talent. Ou Yezi was very proud of her.
"Xue Ying, you have learned all of the metallurgy techniques. You could be a famous weapon-maker in other states!" Ou Yezi laughed when he checked the sword that Ying forged.
"I think…another three years of training still will not be enough for me. Master, I want to make a precious sword. Something like….the Seven Stars sword that made by you and Master Gan Jiang!" Ying said in a low voice.
Ou Yezi laughed when he heard it, "Xue Ying, you're the most ambitious young man that I've ever seen in my life. None of my disciples would dare to say that they want to make a precious sword like the Seven Stars Sword."
"Please forgive me, master! But I think…someone has to do the very best of him and pursue all of the best he could achieve. And for me, as a sword-forger, of course, I want to make something like the legendary Seven Stars sword."
"Alright, another two years of training! Then you should travel all around the world to find precious metals for a half year. Afterward, you should return here, and I will supervise you by myself to forge a sword that could be compared to the Seven Stars sword!"
Ying was excited when she heard it. She kneeled and made a salute with her fists, "Thank you, Grandmaster Ou! I will not let you down. I will work hard!"
"I know that you will work hard, my child!" Ou Yezi laughed. "Otherwise, how could a beautiful young girl like you be willing to sacrifice your hair. Not only you cut your hair, but you also put fake tattoos on your face. No girl would want to do that if she's not serious and eager to become a great sword-forger!"
Ying's jaw dropped. "Master…what are you talking about?"
Ou Yezi waved his hand and said, "I know that you're a girl! My wife had suspicious of you since the first month you came here. She then spied on you. At first, I was angry and was about to expel you. But then, my wife said, that someone so determined like you has the potential to be a great sword-forger. Also…Xuanye recommended you to me. If an honest man like him is willing to cover your lies, then you must be a special one!"
"Xuanye is my shixiong. I hope that you won't blame him!" Ying said in a low voice.
Ou Yezi shook his head, "I don't blame him. He's right! You're a good disciple. I have to say…that you could be compared to Xuanye. Too bad that he didn't continue his training. If he had longer time to train, he could even excel me one day!"
"Is he that good?"
"Yes, he is!"
"I could be compared to Xuanye. It means I'm pretty good!" Ying said in her mind. "I want to be one of the best blacksmiths in the world. I'm an immortal. I have all the time that I need!"
And two years was not a long time if it's compared to immortality. After Ying finished her second round of training, she traveled worldwide to find some metals for weapon making.
After seven months of traveling, Ying returned to Ou Yezi with some rare metals that she had never seen before during her training. Ou Yezi happily examined the metals.
Under grandmaster Ou Yezi's supervision, Ying did many experiments with metals and rare metals she traded from the western region merchants in Qin and Zhao State. Finally, after seven months of experiments and trials, they found the right composition to get a rigid solid metal for the sword blade.
Ying forged a precious sword for two years. And the result didn't disappoint her and Ou Yezi.
Ou Yezi flickered his fingers on the sword."Just from the sound, every expert would know that this is a precious sword!" He laughed after he examined the sword. He looked so proud of the result.
"And look at this beautiful yellow and black pattern on the blade!" Ou Yezi exclaimed. "Xue Ying, someday you will surely surpass my skills!"
Ying smiled widely and made a salute with her fists, "This is because I have a great master who trains me!"
"Xue Ying, I think only great men deserve this sword. If it's for you, then you should forge a shorter one. After all, you're a woman!"
The other Ou Yezi disciples surrounding them and admiring the sword were confused with their master's word. They thought that their master must have been too old that he became forgetful.
"Master, little brother Xue Ying doesn't keep a beard. But you should not call him a woman," one student corrected Ou Yezi and laughed.
Ou Yezi laughed, "Xue Ying, now that you have finished your training, then you should disclose yourself to your disciple-brothers!"
Ying laughed, "When I make a farewell with you all, then I will just disclose to them who I am!"
A month later, Ying bid a farewell with Ou Yezi, his wife, and her disciple brothers. Her disciple brothers were shocked as Ying showed up without the fake tattoos from her face. She didn't put a thick eyebrows pencil to strengthen her eyebrows and created face lines. As a result, Xue Ying turned into a sweet young girl with very short hair.
Her disciple brothers could not believe that the young man from Yue was a girl. "I must have been blind that I don't recognize you as a girl!" they all said.
"If I only know that she's such a beautiful girl…I would ask her to marry me!" said another person.
Ying and Ou Yezi laughed, hearing their comments. In the end, after eight years of hard training, Ying finished her learning. She succeeded in forging a precious sword that even Ou Yezi - a grandmaster praised the sword's beauty and the performance,