Inside Li Dong's Blacksmith Shop
Qi Yuan and Xun Yi were waiting on the second floor of Li Dong's blacksmith shop, taking a short break while Li Dong worked on forging a sword using the monster seed that Qi Yuan had provided earlier.
In their previous conversation, Qi Yuan had explained how he obtained the monster seed back when he was still in the Ling Zhou village. He was lucky—while breaking through to Qi Foundation Level Five, he had spotted Xun Yi battling a wild monster near the forest where they usually trained. Without hesitation, he rushed to help her.
The wild monster resembled a lion, its entire body glowing red, with fiery wings extending from its back.
From a distance, Qi Yuan saw Xun Yi struggling against the fire-element monster and immediately accelerated his movement.
Swoosh!
Bwaaag!
The unknown monster's attack landed squarely on Xun Yi's body, sending her flying several meters away due to its overwhelming power.
The impact was devastating. Xun Yi collapsed unconscious before Qi Yuan's eyes—he was a moment too late to save her.
"No! Sister Xun, wake up! You damn monster!"
Fury ignited in Qi Yuan's heart. His overwhelming affection for Xun Yi erupted into a murderous aura so intense that it sent shivers through the surroundings.
Had he arrived even a second later, his sister would have lost her life to the monster. He could not allow that to happen. Summoning all his strength, Qi Yuan lunged at the lion-like beast.
However, even with his deadliest attacks, he failed to injure the fire-element monster.
"What?! Its hide is too tough! Impossible—I'm using eighty percent of my full strength!"
Despite his relentless assault, the monster remained unfazed. Then, with a single breath of fire from its mouth, Qi Yuan was blown away.
Bwoosh!
His body crashed into a tree dozens of meters away.
"Argh! Lucky I shielded myself with qi energy. Otherwise, that attack would have killed me instantly," Qi Yuan thought, struggling to stand despite his severe injuries.
But just as he tried to regain his footing, the fire-element monster struck again.
"Argh! Damn it, I let my guard down!"
Qi Yuan gritted his teeth, enduring the monster's barrage of attacks. The impact shattered his right arm and several ribs, forcing him to scream in agony.
Moments later, the relentless onslaught proved too much.
Thud!
Qi Yuan collapsed unconscious beside Xun Yi, helpless before the fire-element monster.
As he lay defenseless, the beast turned its attention toward Xun Yi, preparing to strike her down.
Suddenly, an overwhelming surge of energy erupted from Qi Yuan's body.
Bwoosh!
Swoosh!
Golden light radiated from his qi essence, enveloping his body and pushing his limits beyond anything he had ever experienced.
His once gentle expression twisted into something terrifying—his eyes, now shining like a golden hawk's, locked onto the monster with a deathly glare. The aura he emitted resembled that of a demon god.
Yet, Qi Yuan's body could not withstand this newfound power for long. Without wasting time, he charged at the fire-element monster.
Bwak!
Buk! Buk!
With a flurry of devastating kicks, Qi Yuan sent the lion-like beast flying into a nearby waterfall.
"Begone! Don't you dare lay a hand on my sister!"
Fueled by rage, his attacks became even more merciless. His killing intent surged dramatically as he saw Xun Yi's life in danger.
The battle was over in mere moments.
Unknowingly, Qi Yuan had unleashed a terrifying force from within himself.
Before collapsing, he noticed a crimson crystal emerging from the slain monster's body, radiating pure energy essence. He instinctively grabbed it and stored it in his right pocket.
"I-I'm sorry, Sister Xun... I couldn't protect you..."
Those were his last words before losing consciousness. The immense power he had unleashed destroyed the surrounding hills, trees, and even the waterfall, leaving the once-serene forest in ruins.
And now, that very same crimson crystal—known as the Monster Seed—was being forged into a sword by Li Dong, the blacksmith introduced to Qi Yuan by his sister, Xun Yi.
Back in Li Dong's Blacksmith Shop
Hours had passed since Qi Yuan and Xun Yi requested Li Dong to forge a sword. Finally, Li Dong returned from the lower floor, carrying a large rectangular iron box.
"Alright, open it," Li Dong instructed Qi Yuan.
Xun Yi, too eager to wait, nudged Qi Yuan forward.
"Hurry up and open it! I can't wait to see what's inside!"
Qi Yuan rolled his eyes.
"You're so noisy... Fine, fine."
Klak!
Bwang!
The lid was lifted, revealing the magnificent sword Li Dong had forged.
"Whoa! This is amazing! Thank you, Brother Li, for crafting such an incredible weapon!" Qi Yuan exclaimed as he grasped the sword.
He swung it experimentally, feeling the balance and weight.
"Haha! Brother Li, this is unbelievable! It looks heavy, but it feels so light!"
The sword was deep black, adorned with crimson patterns from the Monster Seed—a weapon of unparalleled craftsmanship.
Qi Yuan handed it to Xun Yi to try.
"No way! It's so light!" Xun Yi gasped in astonishment.
While Xun Yi examined the sword, Li Dong presented Qi Yuan with a custom-made scabbard.
"This is for you as well. I had some leftover Monster Seed material, so I crafted a matching scabbard. Take it!"
As time passed, the three of them chatted on the second floor of the shop. Eventually, Xun Yi revealed her plan to enroll Qi Yuan in the Purple Lotus Sect, where she was an Inner Disciple.
Their conversation ended swiftly—Qi Yuan was in a hurry to catch the sect's enrollment deadline.
"Ah, time flies. I wanted you two to stay longer so I could treat you to a meal. But oh well, take care, Brother Qi, Sister Xun! Haha!"
With that, Qi Yuan and Xun Yi departed.
Qi Yuan had gained more than just a new sword—he had been given a masterpiece, forged for free by a skilled blacksmith.
Li Dong had refused any payment, grateful for the opportunity to work with such a rare material.
As he watched them leave, Li Dong muttered to himself:
"A dormant monster is now climbing the heavens from the deepest abyss."
To Be Continued...