The morning's competition concluded as scheduled. From the expressions of the audience, judges, and other participants, it was clear that the matches had left them deeply astonished.
"His... is just too massive!"
"Truly worthy of the title 'Divine Hammer Little Tyrant'—to possess such a terrifying physique!"
"Eep, no wonder they say he's a blessing to his wife..."
"Something's off. No matter how talented he is, how can a seventeen-year-old achieve this? Seventeen and already built like that?"
"Right! And right after the match, he shrank back into a scrawny guy. I suspect he used performance-enhancing drugs!"
"But the organizers already checked. There's no trace of Divine Strength Powder in his system."
The venue of the Armament Forging Grand Competition buzzed with endless chatter.
Not just the judges' panel—the entire crowd was abuzz with discussions. After all, the "Rivers and Mountains Scroll" had projected the scenes across the entire Imperial Capital, even replaying them repeatedly.
After another round of advertisements, the host turned to the judges for their opinions."Your Highness the Crown Prince, what are your thoughts?"
"In my view, that was not his own power, nor even a strength belonging to the Observation Divine Realm. Merely borrowed might," Jiang Yu remarked, narrowing his eyes at the images in the sky.
He pondered—could Li Mo wield such power consistently?
That physique alone was already on par with a True Dragon Body!
However...
While the True Dragon Body was fearsome in form, its strength wasn't limited to mere physicality—it held many other divine wonders.
Jiang Yu maintained his position atop the Hidden Dragon Ranking not solely through physique. For Li Mo to surpass him even slightly in one aspect was already remarkable.
A pity... that this man dared to bring Jiang Chulong back with him.
"In my opinion, the Divine Hammer Little Tyrant might have cultivated a unique martial art rather than relying on external aids," Du Wufeng unexpectedly countered, despite having agreed to forge an armament for Jiang Yu.
"Many with immensely powerful physiques appear frail at a glance. Why?"
"Because such overwhelming strength constantly weighs upon them. Every movement burns vitality, placing immense strain on the body. Thus, when not in use, they retract their qi and blood."
"For example... take me!"
BOOM—
Thunderous roars erupted as Du Wufeng's qi and blood surged like raging rivers, his presence blazing like a scorching sun.
A pillar of energy erupted from his body, its oppressive might akin to towering divine peaks.
The unassuming old man seemed to shed his mortal shell in an instant, growing two heads taller than an average man. The sheer pressure of his physique far surpassed what Li Mo had displayed earlier.
Du Wufeng—sixth realm, peak of the Law Body stage.
His path was that of Force.
The arena fell into stunned silence.
Though Du Wufeng's aura was far more overwhelming, its nature seemed eerily similar to the scenes replayed in the Rivers and Mountains Scroll.
But... how could someone in the Observation Divine Realm already comprehend the Great Dao?
Lu Zhuang pleaded with a mix of sincerity and suggestive eagerness.
"?"
Li Mo had only intended to play hard to get, but Lu Zhuang’s desperation surprised him.
"I can point you to the source. But after the Grand Competition, you’ll take me somewhere."
"Where did you get that enhanced Heavenly Sovereign instant noodles?"
Indeed, Li Mo planned to follow the trail.
Divine Strength Powder was no mere banned substance—it had crossed into territory he couldn’t ignore.
This might yield substantial returns, but that wasn’t his focus.
As Li Mo had long declared—
He stood in eternal opposition to gambling and drugs!
After some hesitation, Lu Zhuang agreed for the sake of Li Mo’s promised "connection."
Another half-hour passed, and the first phase of the Grand Competition concluded. Li Mo, amid some controversy, had defeated master smiths and even forging grandmasters to claim the top spot.
After retrieving the "ice block" (Ying Bing) and Princess Jiang Chulong from the Sword Tomb, Li Mo prepared for the second round.
Before the true forging began, Du Wufeng—as a judge—ignited the sword furnace with the "Falling Star Flame" and took up his hammer. Under the gaze of the entire Imperial Capital, he would forge his first weapon since emerging from seclusion.
A demonstration for all artisans.
And this blade would accompany Jiang Yu into the Hidden Dragon Ranking battles.
"Divine Smith Du once forged a Celestial Sword for Senior Shi Sujun, which still hangs in the Celestial City as a symbol of glory."
"After years in seclusion, surely he’ll surpass his past achievements?"
"With His Highness’s innate sword bones and a masterpiece forged by a divine smith, he’ll be unstoppable!"
"Divine Smith Du is selecting his materials now!"
Standing below, Li Mo also watched the Rivers and Mountains Scroll.
Du Wufeng glanced at him, and a voice rang in Li Mo’s ears:
"Kid, though I admire you, I won’t tarnish my reputation."
"Watch closely—this is how a true divine smith forges a weapon!"
A living divine smith.
In the prestige of the Heavenly Mountain Sword Manor, his status surpassed even the hall masters, second only to the sect leader.
CLANG!
The hammer shone like a blazing sun.
Though the glare stung, Li Mo refused to look away.
Steel erupted in a shower of sparks—as though the metal had turned pliant, resonating with the hammer’s strikes like a sponge.
Each blow squeezed out impurities like water.
This level of skill, honed through countless strikes, already surpassed Li Mo’s own "Divine Treasure Hundred Refinements" by a margin.
"A divine weapon has a soul. An armament is no dead object—to forge is to temper the heart."
"This is why some famed blades remain mere tools... while those I forge become true divine arms!"
CLANG—CLANG—
Each strike reverberated in Li Mo’s chest.
He didn’t tap into his martial insights, yet the dance of flame and steel, hammer and blade, flowed through his mind.
Over and over, the motions replayed in his thoughts, every detail crystal clear.
Time blurred.
Then—a cool touch on his hand.
Ying Bing held his fingers and whispered, "Divine Smith Du has finished the sword."
Li Mo snapped back to reality and looked up.
A blade, still radiating the furnace’s heat and cradled on silk, was being presented to the judges’ panel.
Into Jiang Yu’s grasp.
Jiang Yu narrowed his eyes, the autumn-water-like blade reflecting his dual pupils.
With a sudden flick of his wrist, he reversed the sword's edge and pointed it toward the stage below.
The sword's hum resonated like the roar of a dragon.