Xu Luo pushed open the door and saw the two people in the living room, a happy smile spreading across his face.
"Big Brother, Fifth Brother, sorry to keep you waiting."
"Not at all. I thought we'd find a gloomy little fellow, but now I can finally relax. A small setback like that hasn't truly hurt you," Huangfu Chongzhi said with a smile.
"Yeah, seeing how Third Brother is doing, I'm relieved too," Sui Yan added from the side.
"Alright, I'm really fine. I've just been cultivating at home…" Seeing the disbelieving looks on his two brothers' faces, Xu Luo pouted. "If you don't believe me, ask Lianyi."
"Er… well, I'm not entirely sure either…" Lianyi replied cautiously from the side.
"Haha… HAHAHAHA!" Huangfu Chongzhi and Sui Yan burst into unrestrained laughter, clearly thinking Xu Luo was just trying to cheer them up.
With a helpless expression, Xu Luo looked at Lianyi and grumbled, "Whose side are you on anyway? I feel like you're a little traitor…"
Seeing that Xu Luo didn't seem too affected by the rumors, happy smiles appeared on Huangfu Chongzhi's and Sui Yan's faces as well.
Huangfu Chongzhi looked at Xu Luo and said, "Third Brother, don't think about that incident at the Star Festival anymore. That's just how the Imperial City People are. No matter what happens, the gossip will eventually die down after a while. We came today to take you out and help you relax."
Xu Luo smiled. "Don't worry, I haven't taken those things to heart. You don't need to worry about me." Then he asked, "Where are Second Brother and Fourth Brother?"
Sui Yan pouted from the side and said, "Do you even need to ask? Second Brother is at home forging and sharpening swords, and Fourth Brother… Fourth Brother is definitely busy trying to identify women by their fragrance!"
PFFT!
Lianyi couldn't hold it in any longer and burst out laughing. She quickly made an excuse about preparing tea and ran off, afraid she would laugh until her stomach hurt. It was clear she was also quite familiar with the Second Brother who only knew how to forge and sharpen swords, and the Fourth Brother who could "identify women by their fragrance."
Xu Luo's mouth twitched. Thinking of the focused expressions on his Second Brother's face while forging swords and his Fourth Brother's while "identifying women by their fragrance," he couldn't help but laugh as well.
"They actually wanted to come see you a long time ago, but I stopped them."
After Lianyi left, Huangfu Chongzhi sighed softly and looked at Xu Luo. "Third Brother, can you honestly say this incident hasn't affected you at all?"
Sui Yan also dropped his joking demeanor and said softly, "Big Brother, it's all in the past. Why bring it up?"
Huangfu Chongzhi shook his head slightly. Although he had been unfavored since childhood, he was still of the Royal Family. His perspective and knowledge were a cut above ordinary people's.
"The reason we didn't come right away was that we didn't want to put too much pressure on you. We wanted to let you have some peace and quiet first."
Huangfu Chongzhi continued, then smiled. "But it seems you're doing alright. You haven't been crushed by the pressure. No matter what, we brothers will always be on your side."
"Big Brother got into a huge argument with several Princes over you…"
"Fifth Brother, why are you bringing that up?!"
Huangfu Chongzhi cut Sui Yan off, his tone shifting from gentle to stern. He then smiled at Xu Luo and said, "We just exchanged a few words, that's all. It's nothing."
"Big Brother…" Xu Luo was so moved he was at a loss for words.
He knew Huangfu Chongzhi's standing within the Royal Family. He almost never interacted with any of the other Princes, so to antagonize them for his sake must have put him under immense pressure.
Huangfu Chongzhi shot Sui Yan a glare for his big mouth, then changed the subject. "I just had a small dispute with the Fourth Prince and the Seventh Prince. But you, Second Brother, and Fourth Brother… you guys have gotten into quite a few fights recently, haven't you?"
Sui Yan gave an embarrassed smile and said, "Sparring. It was just sparring. I didn't lose out. But a few days ago, Fourth Brother seems to have gotten a black eye. I guess he won't be able to 'identify women by their fragrance' for a few days."
"That's because his skills are lacking. Look at Second Brother. He's forging and sharpening swords every day, but his cultivation hasn't fallen behind. His strength is probably not much less than yours now. If you keep messing with those mechanisms of yours all day, I'm afraid Second Brother will surpass you sooner or later!" Huangfu Chongzhi said.
"I'd love that!" Sui Yan rolled his eyes. "Then he can be the one to protect me."
"Sui Xiaoshi, you're hopeless," Huangfu Chongzhi grumbled. He then stood up, pulled Xu Luo's arm, and said, "Let's go. We'll grab Second Brother and Fourth Brother and go for drinks at the Fengyue Building!"
Although they were vague, Xu Luo now understood what his brothers had been doing for him these past few days. He let his Big Brother, Huangfu Chongzhi, pull him along, secretly vowing in his heart: 'Today, my brothers are protecting me. One day, I will protect all of you!'
...
「In an inconspicuous small courtyard in the Suburbs of the Imperial Capital, the continuous sound of hammering iron could be heard.」
CLANG!
CLANG!
The sound was steady and rhythmic.
The neighbors had long grown accustomed to this sound. If a day went by without it, they would feel that something was missing.
This was a poor district, but the one living in this small courtyard was no pauper.
Xu Jie, the eldest legitimate son of the Champion Marquis's Mansion, nicknamed 'the Blacksmith'.
The Champion Marquis Xu Zhongtian and the Grand General of National Guardian, Duke of the Country Xu Ji, were stationed in the south and north respectively. They were known as the 'Two Xus of North and South, the Twin Pillars of the Empire'. Although he was a Marquis, Xu Zhongtian's military achievements were no less than Xu Ji's.
Xu Zhongtian was stationed year-round on the Southern Border of the Empire and rarely returned home. He did not object to his only son's hobby of forging and sharpening swords.
In Xu Zhongtian's own words: "Like father, like son. Forging swords is also a form of cultivation. I believe he will be even more outstanding than me in the future!"
Therefore, in Xu Luo's small circle of friends, Xu Jie was the happiest one, aside from Xu Luo himself.
Besides him, Sui Yan's hobby was strongly opposed by his family, Huangfu Chongzhi was ignored by his, and as for Fourth Brother Liu Feng... if anyone actually dared to support his hobby, it would be a miracle.
Huangfu Chongzhi and the others arrived at the courtyard gate. Without even knocking, they pushed it open and walked right in. They passed through the front hall and into the backyard, where they saw a muscular man, stripped to the waist, swinging a massive iron hammer with his right hand. He was repeatedly and forcefully striking a red-hot iron rod held in his left.
CLANG!
CLANG!
The sound was deafening.
After continuous hammering, the red-hot iron rod was beginning to take the shape of a sword.
The man didn't seem surprised by their arrival in the slightest. He continued hammering as he spoke. "You're here. Hold on a second, let me just finish forging the rough shape."
As he spoke, he caught sight of Xu Luo out of the corner of his eye and let out a small sound of surprise. He immediately tossed the nearly-formed metal blank into a pool of water to the side.
The water let out a series of HISSES, and a cloud of white steam rose up.
"Third Brother, you're here!" A delighted expression appeared on Xu Jie's face.
"Hey, Second Brother, you can't just play favorites like that, can you? When Big Brother and I show up, you say you have to finish the rough shape, but the moment you see Third Brother, you stop immediately?" Sui Yan said from the side.
"Sui Xiaoshi, you got a problem with that? If you're not happy, let's fight it out!" Xu Jie flexed the dragon-like muscles on his arms, then grinned at Sui Yan. "I'm a Tier Seven Swordsman now, you know!"
"So what if you're Tier Seven? I'm Tier Eight!" Sui Yan said with a scornful look. "Don't think women will like you just because you have a few muscles. Hurry up and put on a shirt. Put away your Divine Techniques."
"Heh, you're just jealous." Xu Jie chuckled, put on his shirt, and walked over to them. He looked at Xu Luo and was about to say something, but then slapped his forehead. "Look at my memory. I just finished polishing a short sword a few days ago. I think you'll like it."
With that, he turned and ducked back into the house.
"Second Brother, what about the Long Sword you promised me?" Sui Yan shouted at Xu Jie's back.
"Just wait!" Xu Jie's muffled voice came from the room.
"Tsk… So biased!" Sui Yan grumbled.
A moment later, Xu Jie emerged from the room with a short sword, just over a foot long. Its sharkskin sheath was inlaid with several azure gemstones.
These gems weren't just for decoration. They were genuine water-attribute gemstones, used to nourish the short sword within the sheath!
Let alone the short sword, the value of these gems alone would be enough to leave an ordinary family speechless.
He casually handed the short sword to Xu Luo. "Here, take a look. Like it?"
Xu Jie might seem rough around the edges, but he was very meticulous. He even considered his Third Brother's poor constitution; if it were anyone else, he would have just tossed the short sword over.
Xu Luo took the short sword. It felt incredibly light in his hand, not at all like a weapon forged from steel. It felt more like… a wooden sword!
"It's so light!" Xu Luo said in surprise.
"Hehe, draw it and see. It took me several years to gather enough of the material for this short sword. Ai, it's a pity the material is so rare. Otherwise, it would have been even better to forge a long sword!" Xu Jie said with a regretful expression.
Although greatswords existed, the vast majority of swords were designed to be light. But no matter how light, a sword forged from steel could never feel as weightless as the one in Xu Luo's hand.
Xu Luo gently drew the short sword. A burst of cold air erupted from the sheath, and the blade, as blue and fluid as water, glittered so brightly in the sunlight that it was almost blinding.
HISS!
Huangfu Chongzhi and Sui Yan, standing to the side, sucked in a sharp breath of cold air, their eyes practically popping out of their heads.
"Is… is that Water Blue Refined Gold?" Although he was obsessed with alchemy, Huangfu Chongzhi was by no means ignorant. His mouth twitched as he struggled to tear his gaze away from the short sword in Xu Luo's hand. He looked at Xu Jie and said, "Second Brother, are you trying to get Third Brother killed?"
Sui Yan, who had been staring at the short sword with drool-worthy envy, also looked up and said seriously to Xu Jie, "Second Brother, you're really in the wrong this time. A weapon like this… giving it to Third Brother will really get him killed!"
"Hahaha, look how scared you two are. Do you really think I wouldn't have thought of the problem you both did?" Xu Jie laughed happily, then said to Xu Luo, "Third Brother, try pressing the gemstone on the hilt."
Xu Luo was also stunned. The value of this sword was immense. Even the entire assets of the Champion Marquis's Mansion combined might not be enough to purchase the Water Blue Refined Gold used to forge this short sword. He had no idea where his Second Brother had gotten his hands on such a thing.
Hearing Xu Jie's words, Xu Luo subconsciously pressed the orange gemstone on the hilt, located in the middle of the handguard.
SHING!
All the blue light on the blade vanished, and it was instantly covered by a faint, grayish-white layer. It was now almost indistinguishable from an ordinary short sword!
This left Xu Luo and the others completely dumbfounded.