I Pick up a Lost Godhood-Chapter 80 - 78: Accepting the Challenge

In response to Wang Meng’s teasing, Suo Ming let out a smile he hadn’t shown in a long time.

"Here, give me the sword."

Suo Ming handed the sword over. Wang Meng wouldn’t comment on other matters, but when it came to understanding swords, even Wangtian had to step aside.

"Boss, I’m planning to exhibit the Lin Clan series at the upcoming Hundred Treasures Hall Meeting—swords, hammers, that sort of thing."

"Great idea. Let me have a go." Touching the sword, Wang Meng felt his own hands begin to itch.

The principles were universal. Though he wasn’t a Body Cultivator, he had watched Lin Ying forge, and his understanding of swords was second to none.

Suo Ming froze for a moment, then cleared a space and began to act as Wang Meng’s assistant. Wang Meng started hammering away. CLANG, CLANG, CLANG. A Sword Cultivator couldn’t channel their strength as directly as a Body Cultivator, but that process posed no problem for Wang Meng. As he watched the common iron in his hands slowly take the shape of a sword, that wondrous feeling grew within him again, just as it did when he performed Alchemy.

’Suo Ming watched from the side. He had to admit, the Boss might be mysterious, but forging really wasn’t his forte. Of course, it couldn’t be helped for a Sword Cultivator. Forging demanded a continuous flow of power. Body Cultivators could output their strength directly, but Sword Cultivators had to use their Elemental Power to drive their physical strength—they were completely different.’

Suo Ming couldn’t tell, but Wang Meng had entered a state of pure focus, completely absorbed in the process of the sword’s birth. The experience made him miss Silence all the more. The only thing he hadn’t been able to let go of from his past life was the Silence Sword, so much so that even now, he would rather choose a broken blade.

A very simple sword took shape in Wang Meng’s hands. It had a hint of the Silence Sword’s feel to it, though it was a far cry from the real thing. Still, it filled Wang Meng with nostalgia.

With a light flick, the long sword let out a clear ring. He shook his head slightly. "This sword... let’s keep it."

’It was a small tribute to Lin Ying, too. His time at the Pingfu Weapon Shop had been brief, but he had been truly happy.’

Suo Ming nodded solemnly. Regardless of how the sword turned out, the act itself was a sign of respect.

In the days that followed, Thunderlight Hall was livelier than ever. Nearly everyone was preparing their own creations for the meeting, sparing no effort to ensure their entries were in the best possible condition.

Suo Ming was preparing his series of eighteen weapons from the Lin Clan. Hu Jing was researching a talismanic array. Since they couldn’t compete with other halls in terms of resources, they had to rely on innovation. Though Zhou Qian grumbled about not wanting to put in the effort, he was also looking to refine his Bursting Fire Talismans. As for Ma Tian’Er, she spent every day grooming "Little Cutie," claiming it was to create a "striking public image."

Everyone could only remain silent on the matter. ’No amount of grooming could change what people thought of a Red Roar. Only someone with a personality like Tian’Er’s could be so naive.’

Zhang Xiaojiang, true to his nature, was busily running all over the place. He basically knew Thunderlight Hall like the back of his hand and had built connections with everyone from the top down.

In contrast, whenever Wang Meng had free time, he would head to the Pill Furnace Pavilion and lock himself away to refine pills. Second-Grade Pills were a bit more difficult to create.

Of course, Wang Meng’s focus at the Pill Furnace Pavilion was no longer Alchemy. He had discovered that his Pill Flame seemed to affect the Heaven and Earth Spirit Locking Array. Though the fluctuation was minuscule, it revealed a new possibility to him.

A Pill Flame was a type of refining flame that could be cultivated both externally and internally. Wang Meng knew that when refined to its peak, it became the Samadhi True Flame, capable of shattering all manner of Evil—it was incredibly powerful. In truth, any Daoist Technique could be converted into an offensive art.

When he wasn’t refining pills, Wang Meng used his Pill Flame to probe the Heaven and Earth Spirit Locking Array. The array might be a behemoth, but it wasn’t impregnable.

The Pill Flame was a typical brute-force approach. Not bothering to find another spot, Wang Meng simply cultivated the Fire Creation Technique right there in the Alchemy Room. This was a Basic Magic for cultivating one’s Pill Flame. Chen Haiguan had no idea what Wang Meng was up to in there. He sometimes wanted to offer a bit of guidance, but seeing that Wang Meng didn’t seem to want any, he resisted the urge.

At the end of the day, Wang Meng emerged and saw Chen Haiguan waiting outside. "Brother Chen, did you need something?"

Chen Haiguan pointed to the sky outside. "You’re the last one. You’re working hard, Junior Brother Wang. You’re a Sword Cultivator, aren’t you? Thinking of changing your path?"

Wang Meng smiled faintly. "Of course not. I just have a need to refine a particular Pill."

"I see. My Alchemy skills are only average, but I do possess a Third Grade Pill Flame," Chen Haiguan said, a proud look on his face. "If you need anything, just ask. Don’t be a stranger." A Third Grade Pill Flame was a rare sight in Thunderlight Hall.

"Thank you, Brother Chen. I won’t hesitate," Wang Meng said with a fist-and-palm salute. This Brother Chen had been quite helpful these past few days, pulling a few strings for him.

"At this meeting, we’re going to show the other Sub-Halls the true depth and strength of our Thunderlight Hall!"

Chen Haiguan clenched his fists, his confidence skyrocketing. He wished the Hundred Treasures Hall Meeting would kick off right away.

’Right now, Thunderlight Hall as a whole was in a state of high spirits. Still, while confidence was good, the disparity in strength was painfully obvious.’

’I just hope they can withstand the blow.’

Wang Meng’s task during this time was to break through to the Thirteenth Layer of Life Mark. His combined use of the Blast-Inducing Technique and the Nourishing Essence Technique was growing increasingly masterful.

Thunderlight Hall wasn’t the only one taking the Hundred Treasures Hall Meeting seriously. The other Sub-Halls had always treated it as a preliminary skirmish before the grand tournament, and none of them would show any weakness.

As the foremost hall in the Holy Hall, Dao Guang Hall teemed with talent. They wouldn’t concede defeat in any area. Whether it was swords, Pills, Talismans, or even Magical Artifacts, they intended to make a showing. This was an undeniable fact. The Elders wouldn’t interfere in the Hundred Treasures Hall Meeting—at least, not openly. This was a battle among the disciples.

"Several Ancestral Masters may attend this Hundred Treasures Hall Meeting, so I don’t want to see any mishaps. Dao Guang Hall must be the best."

This was a small, strategic meeting within Dao Guang Hall. Zhao Guang humbly occupied a seat at the end of the table. To have broken into Dao Guang Hall’s core circle so quickly, Zhao Guang clearly had more than just good looks; he possessed genuine skill.

Dao Guang Hall was known for welcoming talent from all corners; as long as you had the ability, you would be given an opportunity.

"Senior, rest assured. In every aspect, our Dao Guang Hall is top-tier. Our preparations are more than sufficient. Since the Ancestral Masters are coming to watch, we don’t need to hold back. Let’s give the other halls a comprehensive demonstration of our power."

Gongsun Wuqing remarked coolly. He was Dao Guang Hall’s second-in-command.

"And this time, with fresh blood like Junior Brother Zhao, we can definitely defeat Fire Cloud Hall in Artifact Refining."

The speaker was a young Female Sword Cultivator. From the tone of her voice, it was obvious she had a thing for Zhao Guang.

’Too bad. In a circle like this, her praise could easily set him up for a fall.’

"Indeed. With Junior Brother Zhao here, Fire Cloud Hall’s days of glory are numbered."

Gongsun Wuqing said, immediately placing a heavy burden on the newcomer. ’You’re Zhao Guang of the Zhao Family. If you can’t produce a good Magical Artifact, you’ll be a disgrace.’

Zhao Guang, however, just smiled gently. "I will naturally do my utmost."

’He wasn’t an idiot. Of course he wasn’t going to make some do-or-die pledge. And how could he not see what these guys were thinking? Any disciple of the Zhao Family would have access to Treasure Artifacts, but only a complete fool would show one off at the Hundred Treasures Hall Meeting. Even if he won, displaying such an item would leave a poor impression on the Ancestral Masters. It was a dilemma, but not one that could stump him.’