Upon seeing Tang Jian, Yan Zi's pupils flickered with a spark of light, but it vanished in an instant.
Qiu Baheaven had crafted an exquisite top-grade magical sword. How could Chen Guang, injured as he was, possibly forge one that surpassed it?
"Hmph, quite the boast! Since it's already forged, show it to Master Situ quickly so we can announce the results," Qiu Baheaven sneered.
Tang Jian glanced at Yan Zi upon hearing this. She nodded at him, and he then presented the long sword to Situ Ran, saying, "Master Situ, this sword is named 'Red Eyebrow'. Please inspect it."
Situ Ran nodded, took the sword, and weighed it in his hand, his eyebrows slightly raising. "Hmm, this sword appears a finger's width narrower than the Purple Qi, yet its weight is comparable. Was any special material used?" He looked at Chen Guang and asked.
Chen Guang, however, turned to Tang Jian and nodded, signaling him to explain.
"This sword was cast from red copper ore crystals. There's nothing particularly special about it, except that during the forging, Master Chen Guang pursued perfection and hammered it more times, increasing its density. That's why it took longer," Tang Jian explained.
In truth, the sword's greater density was also due to Tang Jian using a unique flame during the melting process, which removed all impurities from the blade, enhancing its quality.
Situ Ran didn't fully believe Tang Jian's explanation, suspecting it was a secret method they didn't want to reveal. He let it pass and continued inspecting the sword.
When he gripped the hilt and infused it with mana, the Flame Spirit rune on the sword suddenly glowed brightly, and the blade emitted a red light, instantly engulfed in crimson flames.
The flames roared and surged violently, their outer edges jagged like saw blades, emitting waves of intense heat.
Even Situ Ran, holding the sword, was startled. His wrist twitched, extinguishing the flames.
Yet, in that brief moment of display, the temperature in the entire hall rose.
"The Flame Spirit rune... Master Chen Guang actually inscribed the Flame Spirit rune. No wonder it has such power. This Red Eyebrow sword is undoubtedly also a top-grade magical sword," Situ Ran exclaimed excitedly.
In the history of sword-forging challenges, it was unprecedented for two swordsmiths to simultaneously forge top-grade magical swords.
"How can this be? Master Situ, are you sure you're not mistaken?" Qiu Baheaven's expression changed, disbelief etched on his face.
"Are you questioning my judgment?" Situ Ran's expression cooled, a hint of displeasure in his voice.
"Please don't misunderstand, Master Situ. Master Qiu just spoke out of turn. Now that both swords are top-grade, how should we judge the result of this challenge?" Sun Yang interjected hastily, trying to smooth things over.
"Both swords have their merits and are excellent pieces. In my opinion, why not declare it a draw?" Situ Ran's expression softened as he spoke.
"If that's the case, let's follow Master Situ's suggestion and declare it a draw," Yan Zi said slowly, a sense of relief washing over her.
Her long-held anxiety finally eased.
Now that Master Chen Guang had forged a top-grade magical sword, once this news spread, the reputation of their Yan Family Sword Shop would surely skyrocket, and their business would return to normal. The debt problem would then be easily resolved.
Xiao Dingdang, standing behind her, wiped away her tears silently, thinking that her mistress would no longer have to marry into the Sun family.
Since Yao Bin emerged from the side hall, he had been in a daze, not uttering a single word, his eyes filled with complex emotions.
"Has the Sun Family agreed to this arrangement?" Situ Ran asked, turning his gaze to Sun Yang.
The latter's facial muscles stiffened slightly as he forced a smile and said, "Our Sun Family agrees..."
"I disagree..." Before he could finish his sentence, he was interrupted by a loud shout.
Qiu Baheaven, his face dark and gloomy, slammed his hand on the armrest of his chair and stood up.
"I don't believe it. How could Chen Guang, dragging his injured body, forge a sword stronger than mine? I demand a death match with him!" Qiu Baheaven's eyes widened, almost roaring.
Upon hearing the words "death match," everyone present was startled, their expressions changing drastically.
Yan Zi's face paled at the mention of a "death match," and her heart, which had just settled, was once again lifted into the air.
"Master Qiu..." Sun Yang obviously hadn't expected Qiu Baheaven's move and spoke with some surprise.
"This concerns the reputation of swordsmiths. Please, Young Master, do not interfere," Qiu Baheaven said to Sun Yang.
Seeing this, Situ Ran's eyebrows furrowed slightly, and he asked again, "Are you sure you want a death match, Sun Family?"
Just when Sun Yang's face was flickering with indecision, Qiu Baheaven walked over to him and whispered a few words into his ear.
After listening, Sun Yang was silent for a moment, holding a folding fan and pacing back and forth. Finally, with a "snap," he slapped the fan against his palm and spat out a single word.
"Fight."
"Sun Yang, you know full well that Master Chen Guang is severely injured, yet you still propose a death match. Has your Sun Family become so shameless in your actions?" Yan Zi's face rarely showed anger, but she scolded him now.
"Miss Yan, you're mistaken. In a tie between two swordsmiths during a competition, it's often decided through a death match. This is an unwritten rule in the swordsmithing community of our Yue Kingdom. Am I right, Master Situ?" Sun Yang's face showed no guilt as he waved his folding fan and bowed to Situ Ran.
"That's correct. In a tie, if one party initiates a death match, the other must accept. Otherwise, it's considered a defeat. But if the initiator ultimately loses, they must pay double the compensation to the other party," Situ Ran nodded and said in a deep voice.