Wandering Sword Seller's Life in the Qin Dynasty

Soon, they left the city and arrived in a range of mountains.

Chapter 24 Sword Competition in the Mechanized City: The famous sword was just something I made casually!

The Mo Family Mechanical City is a magnificent mountain city built by the Mo Family over several generations atop a sheer cliff.

This miraculous city is built half on cliffs and half deep within the mountain. Below the cliffs, raging torrents rush and flow, making it difficult for boats to cross; the cliffs are steep and precipitous, beyond human climbing. On the other side lies a dense, impenetrable primeval jungle, teeming with poisonous insects and ferocious beasts.

Through generations of management by the Mohist school, the forest is riddled with traps and hidden weapons. Every three steps there's a small mechanism, every five steps a large trap, all further sealed off by highly poisonous miasma. Without a Mohist disciple to guide the way, it would be absolutely impossible for an outsider to safely traverse this deathly jungle.

Even those with extraordinary luck who manage to avoid all the traps and mechanisms and successfully reach the Mechanized City still face rigorous scrutiny from the Mohist disciples. The city itself is riddled with traps and mechanisms, making every step a perilous one.

In the original story, Wei Zhuang led the mighty Qin army, but even they were helpless against this formidable city. It wasn't until the Black Jade Qilin secretly infiltrated and stole the city's defense map, and combined with the rare and potent poison, Zhenyu Qianye, that they finally managed to breach the fortress.

Now, through a series of fortuitous events, Xu Qing has gained the favor of the Six-Fingered Black Knight and become a distinguished guest of the Mo Clan. Under the guidance of the innkeeper, the journey to the Mechanized City is naturally smooth.

The path he took was not the one Tianming and the others used in the original story to enter the Mechanical City, which involved using the mechanical bird Vermilion Bird to enter through the cliffs.

Or rather, that passage was not a passage commonly used by the Mohists.

The commonly used passage is located behind the mountains. To prevent thieves from entering, Mohist disciples frequently patrol the mountains, maintaining strict security.

Led by the innkeeper, Xu Qing led Gao Jianli cautiously through the deep woods, carefully avoiding the numerous traps and mechanisms along the way.

Finally, the group arrived at a hidden entrance.

Upon entering, the light suddenly dimmed.

I don't know how long we walked in this dark and deep passageway, but suddenly light shone through the darkness ahead.

Where the light returned, a vast and breathtaking inner world unfolded before them.

"This... is the Mo Family's Mechanical City?" Gazing at the magnificent spectacle before him, which seemed to have been built by hollowing out the heart of an entire giant mountain, Gao Jianli couldn't help but gasp in astonishment.

The innkeeper stood to one side, stroking his goatee, his face bearing the pride characteristic of a Mohist disciple: "The Mechanized City is the culmination of a century of effort and painstaking work by our Mohist school. It's understandable that you're astonished upon first seeing it. However..." He smiled slightly, "Come with me, for what will truly amaze you is yet to come."

Xu Qing remained calm, unlike Gao Jianli who was bewildered upon first encountering the world. As a transmigrator, he had witnessed the towering forests of reinforced concrete in his later life, and while the mechanical city before him was ingeniously crafted, it ultimately fell short in terms of grandeur. What truly ignited his desire to explore were the intricate layout of the mechanisms and the profound principles that drove the mechanical beasts.

The group had not gone far when they were questioned by disciples of the Mohist school.

"Password!"

Xu Qing originally thought the shopkeeper would reveal the password used by Master Ban in the original work, but unexpectedly the other party uttered four words.

"The well is nearly dry!"

Upon hearing the question, the disciple above immediately answered fluently.

"Drop trees nearby!"

The password matched, and the checkpoint opened. Clearly, the access code for the Mo Family's Mechanized City was not static but rotated periodically to maintain its defensive purpose.

If it remains unchanged for decades, the password itself becomes meaningless.

As the journey continued, due to the different route, Xu Qing did not see the unique mechanical vehicle called "Cloud Boat" from the original work, but it was still full of mysteries and ingenious mechanisms until he entered the core area of ​​the real mechanical city.

Finally, they met the first leader of the Mohist school.

"Commander Xu!" The middle-aged shopkeeper bowed to a middle-aged man with a refined demeanor and piercing eyes.

"I have read the Grand Master's letter." Xu Fuzi, who looked significantly younger than in the original work, nodded in response. His gaze then fell on Xu Qing and Gao Jianli, scrutinizing them. "May I ask which one of you is Mr. Xu?"

As his gaze swept over the two men, Master Xu couldn't hide his surprise; their youth far exceeded his expectations. Had the Grand Master not emphasized in his letter that this Mr. Xu was a rare and skilled craftsman, he wouldn't have been eagerly awaiting their arrival for days.

The swordsmith's instincts made him yearn to communicate with like-minded people, hoping to spark new chapters in the art.

"My name is Xu Qing." Xu Qing stepped forward and bowed gracefully.

"Mr. Xu is skilled in sword making? The master said, would you like to exchange ideas with me?" Master Xu got straight to the point.

“That’s right.” Xu Qing readily admitted, “In the Taihang Mountains, I met Senior Six Fingers and formed a connection with him. I heard him mention that the Mo Sect has a unique forging lineage, and their sword-making skills are unparalleled in the world.”

"Senior Six Fingers promised to allow me to come to your city for a chat. Therefore, I have come here."

He didn't hide anything and told the whole story.

Xu Qing knew that when facing a sword-making master like Master Xu, who was so arrogant, empty words were useless. The true essence of craftsmanship must be revealed in the finished product.

He immediately turned to Gao Jianli, who was standing to the side, and said, "Gao, take out your sword and let Commander Xu take a look."

Gao Jianli had been quietly listening to the conversation between Xu Qing and Master Xu, and thus learned the purpose of Xu Qing's visit to the Mechanized City.

Upon hearing this, he immediately came to his senses.

Then, he took off the two swords he was carrying.

A strange light appeared in Master Xu's eyes.

A glint of light flashed in Master Xu's eyes.

He took the first sword, and whether it was a coincidence or not, it was a fine sword.

Master Xu drew his sword, its cold light reflecting off his focused gaze.

A moment later, he slowly sheathed his sword, his tone carrying a hint of scrutiny and affirmation from a senior.

"Indeed a fine blade! If you forged this sword, it shows that you have exceptional talent in sword-making. For your age, this is truly remarkable."

This affirmation carries the craftsman's pride and qualification.

After all, the seventh sword manual in the future, "Water Cold," was created by him, and his skill was enough to make him stand out among his peers.

Xu Qing remained calm and unmoved by the evaluation, only calmly reminding, "Commander Xu, why don't you take a look at the other one?"

Master Xu followed his instructions, returning the first sword to Gao Jianli, and then drew the second sword, the newly forged sword Feng Xiao by Xu Qing.

The moment the sword left its sheath, an indescribable breeze flowed from its blade, as if carrying a rhythm.

Master Xu's gaze froze the moment the sword was drawn. He stared intently at the longsword in his hand, which contained profound mysteries, and his breath seemed to catch in his throat. His fingertips traced the blade, feeling the gentle tremor and hum that were not mere decoration but a natural and complete sound. An indescribable shock surged up from the bottom of his heart.

He suddenly looked up, his gaze shooting towards Xu Qing like lightning, filled with disbelief and astonishment.

"This sword...was forged by you?"

Xu Qing met his astonished gaze, her tone remaining calm and even, as if she were merely stating a trivial matter.

"It was just something I made on a whim."

Xu Qing glanced at the shimmering light on the Wind Whisper Sword and added casually, "There are several more of these casually made."

Chapter 25 The Place Where Yin and Yang Meet

Upon learning that the Wind-Slaying Sword was actually Xu Qing's creation, and that such a masterpiece was not unique, Master Xu's attitude towards this young swordsmith subtly changed.

In the world of swordsmiths, their works are a declaration of their skill.

Just as martial arts masters need to discuss their skills through martial arts, to judge whether a swordsmith is truly skilled, one need only see his works.

Whether Xu Qing truly possessed multiple swords of equal caliber, Master Xu had no idea, but this single Wind Howling Sword was enough to earn his sincere admiration.

The barrier of age crumbles at this moment.

If this sword was indeed forged by Xu Qing, then his strength is beyond doubt.

Master Xu examined the Wind-Slaying Sword carefully for a long time before solemnly returning it to Gao Jianli.

He turned to Xu Qing, his words carrying a newfound respect: "Since you are a friend of the Grand Master, you are an honored guest of the Mohist school. In the coming days, I will personally guide you through the wonders of this mechanical city."

Leading guests on a tour was not something that Master Xu, the leader of the Mohist school, would have needed to do personally; it could have been left to an ordinary disciple. His taking on this task himself clearly revealed his intention: he longed to have in-depth exchanges with this young master swordsmith and hone his skills.

Xu Qing and Gao Jianli then settled down in the Mechanized City.

The Mechanized City of today is vastly different from its future self. In the future, under Yan Dan's rule, it will become the core fortress of the anti-Qin forces, with nobles from the six former states moving about, and the Mohist school extremely active. Now, under the rule of the Six-Fingered Black Knight, the Mechanized City remains the hidden base of the Mohist school, rarely inviting outsiders to set foot there.

Therefore, the Mohists were filled with curiosity about the two visitors, Xu Qing and Gao Jianli.

Besides Master Xu, Xu Qing also met several other leaders of the Mohist school, the much younger Master Ban, and a few other people he didn't recognize. However, judging from their appearances, they were all quite old, so it wouldn't be surprising if they were replaced by younger people someday.

Gao Jianli was filled with longing for the secluded and wondrous city of the Mechanical City, and also loved its unique Mohist atmosphere.

However, this sense of connection stirred a touch of melancholy in his heart.

Although Xu Qing has sent a letter of intent to the Six-Fingered Black Knight, the leader of the Mohist school, through the Mohist stronghold, it remains to be seen whether the Mohist school will ultimately accept him.

Xu Qing had no such concerns.

He followed Master Xu into the Mohist school's important site, the "Sword Casting Pool".

Although this place is not as restricted as the Mo family's forbidden area, which is only open to the Grand Master, ordinary disciples are still forbidden from setting foot here.

This is because it is the exclusive sacred place for sword forging for the Xu clan.

The Xu family has been integrated into the Mohist school for several generations. Master Xu's ancestors even participated in the construction of the Mechanical City. This achievement earned them this unique place, "Sword Casting Pool," in the city.

The moment you step inside, a wave of sweltering heat hits you.

Master Xu led Xu Qing deeper into the mountains and told him about the origins of this place: "The founder of the Mohist school led his followers to build the mechanical city in the myriad valleys of this mountain, not only for its treacherous terrain, but also because this place is a unique place where heaven and earth meet. Inside the mountain, the yin and yang energies interact, providing the mechanical city with a surging torrent as its power source."

Master Xu then pointed deeper into the mountain, “...and even more so in the heart of this mountain, there lies a perpetually burning subterranean fire.”

"This fire is different from the intensity of ordinary volcanoes; it is gentle and can be controlled by people. When weapons are tempered with this fire, the temperature is extremely pure and hard, and the quality of the resulting swords is far superior to that of ordinary furnace fires."

Xu Qing listened silently, her gaze following the conversation.

The surrounding temperature soared, but strangely, a refreshing coolness permeated the scorching heat. It turned out that beneath the rock face ahead, a clear pool of water flowed gently, the coolness originating from it. Even more astonishingly, not far from the clear pool was another pool, its contents surging with molten lava.

Water and fire, in this land blessed by nature, coexist in such a bizarre way.

Xu Qing suddenly understood the true meaning of Master Xu's words about the "interaction of Yin and Yang." This strange sight reminded him of the mysterious sect named after "Yin and Yang."

Pulling himself back to reality, Xu Qing stepped forward, his gaze falling on the clear, cool pool of water. He saw that the bottom of the pool shimmered with light, revealing a pile of broken swords and blades.

"These are all evidence of failure," Master Xu's voice came, solemn. "Every substandard piece will be thrown into this pool, both as a warning and as an encouragement, inspiring us to pursue a higher level of casting."

"I see," Xu Qing nodded.

After visiting the core of the sword-casting pool, the two walked a little further and arrived at the workshop where the Xu family actually forged weapons.

As soon as I approached, a series of dense and powerful knocking sounds echoed out.

"Clang! Clang! Clang!"

Upon hearing this, Master Xu's expression changed slightly, and he immediately strode into the workshop.

In the center of the workshop, an old woman with white hair was wielding an incredibly heavy iron hammer, steadily and powerfully smashing it down on a blazing red sword blank.