Chương 45: A Peak Mortal Weapon — The Birth of the Young Phoenix!

Given Su Zhe's current martial attainments, his mastery of the Fiend Tiger Saber and Spirit Serpent Sword was still too shallow to manifest true beast phantoms. But the Three Spirits Unity Hammer was an entirely different matter. Its profundity was so extraordinary that it forcibly elevated his understanding of the Fiend Tiger Saber and Spirit Serpent Sword to a level comparable to his mastery of the Barbaric Ox Hammer. Of course, this was only temporary.

Only while executing the Three Spirits Unity Hammer could such a phenomenon occur. But even so, it was enough to shock the world.

"Three beast-force phantom prototypes! Su Zhe… he cultivated all three sect arts to perfection!"

"Heavens! Is he even human? I've spent over ten years on the Fiend Tiger Saber and still haven't perfected it. He mastered three!"

"My mind is broken… martial cultivation depends too much on talent. I'd rather go live off some rich widow." The entire Ironsmith Gang erupted into chaos. Everyone stood frozen. Three martial arts. All perfected. Not even the three leaders of the Ironsmith Gang had achieved that. Yang Dingtian and Wang Shan were especially shaken, staring as though they'd seen a ghost. They had personally handed Su Zhe the manuals for the Fiend Tiger Saber and Spirit Serpent Sword. And how long had it been? Seven days.

Just seven days. Perfection… in seven days? Wang Shan staggered, his face drained of color. He looked as though his soul had left his body. If Yu Yi hadn't supported him, he might have collapsed right there.

"That brat… even hid this from his master…"

"All three martial arts, perfected."

"It's happened… the legend of the smith has come true!"

"You old bastard, look down from the heavens! My disciple made it!"

"At last… someone from my Craftheart lineage can inherit the ancestor's legacy!" Sun Tiexin was no longer the rough, hearty man he usually appeared to be. Now he looked half-mad—laughing one moment, crying the next. His eyes were bloodshot, veins bulging. Even he, Su Zhe's master, hadn't known his disciple's foundation ran this deep. Before today, Su Zhe had forged third-grade mortal weapons, but without fully unleashing the Three Spirits Unity Hammer, it had never looked this effortless.

"Seven days to perfection…"

"So it really is him…" Yang Dingtian muttered, staring at Su Zhe's domineering figure. Li Shanyun was equally stunned. She knew the Ironsmith Gang's three martial arts were technically only mortal-grade. But among mortal techniques, they stood at the very peak. Far superior to the techniques of lesser factions like the Canal Guild of Lu County. That was why the Ironsmith Gang sat firmly as the strongest faction in Lu County. And she knew better than anyone how difficult it was to cultivate all three to perfection.

Even for her, it would have taken at least ten years. Hearing Yang Dingtian's muttering, she quickly asked:"Guild Master Yang, what do you mean by seven days?" Yang Dingtian forced a bitter smile.

"Seven days ago, Hall Master Wang and I only just handed Su Zhe the copied manuals for the Spirit Serpent Sword and Fiend Tiger Saber." Boom. Li Shanyun felt her mind explode. If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. Her ears rang. Seven days to perfection. So that was what it meant. Only seven days of cultivation… to reach perfection. Top-tier bone talent… Sword-Casting Manor has those. But a sixteen-year-old third-rank weapon smith? Rare.

And seven days to perfect three arts? That level of comprehension… Even the Manor's chief disciple might not compare. Talent, comprehension, craftsmanship… all three in one. A heaven-born genius. The thought stayed rooted in her heart. Clang! Clang! Clang! Su Zhe's hammer fell like a raging storm. The phantoms of three beasts circled him. Good. I've revealed part of my trump cards… but I've still got plenty left. Su Zhe laughed inwardly.

If not for the fact that the Flood Dragon Treasure Art carried too many secrets, he could unleash the beast-manifestation Rising Phoenix, Soaring Flood Dragon right now— and the Ironsmith Gang would probably explode on the spot. Wang Shan might vomit three liters of blood. With the Three Spirits Unity Hammer, forging a third-grade mortal weapon has nearly a hundred percent success rate. But a mere third-grade weapon won't be enough for Sword-Casting Manor. Time to reveal a little more. His eyes sharpened.

His consciousness connected with the Creation Immortal Cauldron. Ten drops of treasure blood appeared. Shielding them from view, he flicked them along his forging hammer into the weapon embryo. His movements were too fast. And deliberately concealed. No one noticed. The moment the treasure blood seeped in— the unfinished blade burst with divine radiance. One hundred strikes became one weapon mark. Three hundred strikes—three marks, one layer. One layer, three marks. Two layers, six marks.

Three layers, nine marks....

"A third-grade mortal weapon!" Someone cried out. Three layers and nine marks was already enough to qualify. But above that, there was the legendary peak third-grade mortal weapon. A thousand strikes. Ten marks. Ten weapon patterns. That required countless conditions. First, the smith's technique had to be flawless. Every hammer strike needed immense power and impossible precision. Even the slightest mistake would ruin the tenth mark. Second, the material itself had to endure it.

Ordinary materials would shatter long before a thousand strikes. Only rare treasures combined with supreme craftsmanship could create such a weapon. In the Ironsmith Gang, only Sun Tiexin had ever achieved it. Not even Guo Ju or Xiao Xunhuan had reached this level. And Sun Tiexin had been forging for thirty years. By this point— Su Zhe had already become the second greatest weapon smith in the gang.

"And he's still going?!"

"Don't tell me… he's aiming for a thousand strikes and ten marks?!" Shock rippled through the crowd. Su Zhe's hammer still hadn't stopped. After more than nine hundred strikes, he continued hammering with the Three Spirits Unity technique. Under the nourishment of treasure blood, the weapon embryo began radiating an intricate crimson glow.

"One thousand strikes!" The final hammer fell. The weapon fully took shape. A sword. Sun Tiexin praised him.

"A smith without a mold shapes as he hammers. This brat truly has a craftsman's heart." It was an old smithing saying. Unlike carpenters, who worked from blueprints and measurements, smiths forged by instinct. A true master adapted to the material, allowing inspiration to guide the weapon's final form. The best creations were born in the fire itself. The completed sword bore ten weapon marks. Its body shimmered pale green, carrying the intent of the wind.

It had fused the martial essence of the Spirit Serpent Windbreaker Sword with the feather of a wind-type demonic beast. A perfect match.

"Your disciple was fortunate enough not to disgrace Master's teachings."

"By chance, I made a breakthrough… and forged a peak third-grade weapon." Su Zhe quenched the blade, then raised it high with both hands and presented it to Sun Tiexin. Silence. Absolute silence. A peak third-grade mortal weapon. He had actually done it. That meant in pure smithing skill— Su Zhe was no weaker than Sun Tiexin himself. Everyone was speechless. The shocks of today's Sword-Casting Manor examination had come one after another. They thought forging a third-grade weapon was already his limit.

But Su Zhe never played by common sense. He had gone beyond. Clang—! Sun Tiexin took the sword and laughed.

"Good boy! Even I didn't know your smithing had reached this level."

"A fledgling phoenix yearns to soar beyond the heavens, carrying ambition enough to shake the clouds…"

"This sword shall be called— Young Phoenix." Sun Tiexin smiled proudly.

"A fine name, Master. Truly poetic." Su Zhe replied instantly, shamelessly flattering him. Sun Tiexin's dark face flushed red. He suddenly remembered when he had gifted Su Zhe that fifty-pound forging hammer, and proudly named it Fifty. Su Zhe had worn the exact same expression back then—calm, but unbearably awkward. Sun Tiexin glared at him. I'll deal with you later. Then he handed the Young Phoenix Sword to Li Shanyun.

"Lady Li, ten weapon marks. A peak third-grade mortal weapon. Please inspect it." Li Shanyun took the sword. At once, she felt the surging sword intent. Its sharp energy cut through her skin, carrying profound wind essence. If used with wind-aspect sword arts, its power would multiply.

"Excellent."

"This sword already possesses a fragment of a treasure weapon's might."

"Even among peak third-grade mortal weapons, it ranks among the finest."

"Congratulations to the Ironsmith Gang… for producing a true dragon among men." Her fingers brushed the blade. Inner force swept through it. The sword immediately let out a resonant cry. The weapon patterns gleamed brilliantly. Bone talent transformed. Top-tier. A genius smith. Three unparalleled gifts combined. Li Shanyun knew she had discovered a priceless jade. This time, she had struck gold. Her gaze swept over Wang Shan and Yu Yi, both pale and spiritless.

After a moment, she said:"The Ironsmith Gang's recommended genius, Yu Yi, meets Sword-Casting Manor's recruitment standards."

"However, Su Zhe's talent is even greater."

"And he is precisely the kind of smithing genius the Manor values most."

"This matter is too important."

"I will report it to the sect and await their reply. Once there is an answer, I will inform everyone."

"Does anyone object?" Though phrased politely, everyone knew the matter was already decided.

"No objections! None at all!" Sun Tiexin and Yang Dingtian waved their hands repeatedly. Wang Shan said nothing. His face was ashen.

"Hall Master Wang?" Li Shanyun looked at him. Wang Shan replied absentmindedly:"I'm fine… doctor…" Doctor? For a moment, everyone froze. Then Xiao Xunhuan burst into laughter. The mighty Hall Master of the Breaking Army Hall— the man who ruled the gang's killing force had been driven stupid from the shock. The laughter snapped Wang Shan back to his senses. His face regained some composure, though the bitterness remained.

"I mean… I'm fine, Lady Li."

"Everything will be as you decide." Even if he was unwilling, what could he possibly say against Sword-Casting Manor? He had spent so long planning. Using Yu Yi, a peerless genius, as his chess piece. And now, everything had collapsed. The fruit of victory had been stolen by Su Zhe. The bitterness in Wang Shan's heart was beyond words. Sun Tiexin. Su Zhe. Good. He would remember this.