I Want Practical Rewards

"Horse Slaying?" Meng Bai muttered to himself. His hands grasped the four-foot-long saber handle, and he laughed loudly. "What a good name! What a great Horse Slaying Saber!"

He took a step forward, gripped the saber with both hands, and struck out like lightning!

Meng Bai didn't look young anymore, and there were no traces of Martial Dao cultivation on his body. Even when he brandished his blade, Zhou Shu could feel that the strength he used was a bit weaker than that of an ordinary adult male.

Crack!

There were two wooden stakes erected in the courtyard long ago for the competition. They were each covered with a layer of armor.

The Horse Slaying Saber cut through the two wooden stakes, and even the two layers of armor were cut in half.

"General, have you recovered?" Zhu Chuanfeng stood up abruptly, his face filled with shock.

Meng Bai shook his head, but a gratified expression appeared on his face. "The Horse Slaying Saber is indeed worthy of its name. Even an ordinary soldier can slay a horse with just a little training!"

Meng Bai had sustained serious injuries, and his cultivation had long disappeared like smoke. But even though his cultivation was gone, his Martial Dao skills were still there.

Ordinary people might not be able to cut through two wooden stakes as easily as he did with the Horse Slaying Saber.

Nonetheless, the Horse Slaying Saber's power shouldn't be underestimated.

"Grandmaster Zhu, I have already tried it. Do you still want to try it yourself?" Meng Bai looked at Zhu Chuanfeng with a half-smile.

Zhu Chuanfeng's face was black and blue. He had already been a bit impulsive previously. If he still didn't know to back off now, then he really would offend Meng Bai.

Great General Meng's status in Great Xia was extraordinary. Even though Zhu Chuanfeng was a Grand Craftsman, if he really offended Meng Bai, the consequences would be unimaginable.

"There's no need," Zhu Chuanfeng said coldly. "With the great general as a witness, I hereby announce that the winner of this competition is Zhou Shu!"

As soon as he finished speaking, he cupped his hands toward Meng Bai and then left with the two boys in a sorry state.

"Old Zhou, you won!" Sun Gongping exclaimed in excitement. If Meng Bai wasn't here, he would have shouted out loud.

Meng Bai looked at Zhou Shu with pleasure and nodded slightly toward him. Then he turned toward Xiao Zongshui and the others, and his expression became a bit cold.

"All of you are pillars of the Forging Division. If you can work together to strengthen the weapons of Great Xia, it will be a blessing for Great Xia and its citizens," Meng Bai slowly said.

Xiao Zongshui, Li Hongyuan, and the others were drenched in sweat. All of them were dejected as they said, "Great General, you are right."

If even Zhu Chuanfeng couldn't afford to offend Meng Bai, then how could they, mere superintendents, afford to offend him?

"I am not the Forging Division's grand minister. If you are willing to listen to my words, then listen. You're on your own." Meng Bai waved his hand.

Xiao Zongshui, Li Hongyuan, and the others were even more terrified as they fell to their knees. "We will follow your orders, Great General, and will definitely not dare target Superintendent Zhou again in the future."

When Meng Bai saw everyone's bodies tremble in fear, a hint of sorrow flashed past his eyes.

How can weapons come from effete people?

Weapons are like people. Seeing the people in the Forging Division, it's no wonder that Great Xia's weapons have degraded year after year.

The princess' shot in the dark and disturbance might really be effective.

Meng Bai looked at Zhou Shu. This young man really isn't bad!

He has talent and backbone. When he met me, his attitude was neither supercilious nor obsequious. He managed to create three standard weapons in succession in such a short period. With such talent, being merely the superintendent of a small workshop is a waste.

A thought flashed through Meng Bai's mind, and his face couldn't help revealing a smile.

"Superintendent Zhou, have you learned the Martial Dao?" Meng Bai asked with a smile.

A trace of doubt flashed through Zhou Shu's heart. Could Meng Bai be an expert and have seen through my cultivation?

But it doesn't seem like it.

Zhou Shu pondered for a moment before replying, "Uh… no."

"As a Forging Master, how can you not cultivate the Martial Dao?" Meng Bai smiled like an amiable elder.

"General, I'm not a Forging Master. I'm just a Forging Apprentice," Zhou Shu reminded softly.

Meng Bai was stunned. I almost forgot that Zhou Shu is only a Forging Apprentice. Why do I feel that he is more like a Forging Master?

"Sooner or later, you'll become a Forging Master." Meng Bai smiled. "If you don't cultivate the Martial Dao, how can you understand the attributes of weapons? Only by being proficient in weapons can you know what a good weapon is.

"You are good at forging sabers. Let me ask you. If you don't know any saber arts, how can you forge sabers that can unleash the power of saber arts?"

"The sabers I'm forging now seem pretty good too… Huben, Hundred Refinements Ring Pommel, and Horse Slaying…"

Meng Bai was stunned. What Zhou Shu said is reasonable. I actually have no response!

"Superintendent Zhou, you are a genius. Your future is not limited to these three sabers!

"What I mean is, if you want to walk further on the path of the Forging Dao, then you have to cultivate the Martial Dao, and the best is to focus on sabers!"

Zhou Shu didn't understand what Meng Bai meant and quietly said, "But I might have to forge swords in the future…"

Meng Bai choked on his words and decided to ignore what Zhou Shu said. "In the past, you were a Forging Apprentice. Perhaps you didn't have the conditions to cultivate the Martial Dao, but now that you are a superintendent, you can surely squeeze out some time to cultivate the Martial Dao.

"You must want to say that you don't have any Martial Dao techniques, right?"

Seeing Zhou Shu's hesitancy, Meng Bai looked as if he saw through everything. He smiled and continued, "This isn't a problem.

"You've developed the Horse Slaying Saber, which has extraordinary significance to Great Xia," Meng Bai said seriously. "I have decided to report this personally to His Majesty to reward you!"

Zhou Shu was delighted. Reward me?

Will I be rewarded with ten thousand taels of gold?

Meng Bai continued, "I will definitely convince His Majesty to make an exception and allow you to comprehend the saber intent!"

"Comprehend the saber intent?" Zhou Shu was confused.

Sun Gongping, on the other hand, had an excited expression on his face as he repeatedly poked Zhou Shu in the back with his fingers.

"Hurry up and thank the great general!" Sun Gongping said in a low voice. "Do you know how rare an opportunity it is to comprehend the saber intent? Even for me, having the chance to comprehend it once a year is a blessing!

"Ordinary people don't even have a chance!"

Is it that precious? But I don't need it. Zhou Shu thought. I know my own matters.

Zhou Shu didn't have much hope for his own aptitude. If he tried to comprehend the saber intent, he probably wouldn't even be able to comprehend a single trace of it.

Besides, did he need to comprehend any saber intent?

He had the Heavenly Saber Art. As long as he used the Hundred Refinements Ring Pommel Saber to kill enemies, his Heavenly Saber Art would improve indefinitely.

This was the Heavenly Saber Art. Why would he need to learn other saber arts?

"That…" Zhou Shu muttered and tried his best not to sound offensive. "I'm not interested in comprehending saber intent. Can you change the reward?"

"You…" Sun Gongping gritted his teeth in hatred. He couldn't get an opportunity to comprehend the saber intent even if he wanted to. This Old Zhou!

Meng Bai also frowned. "You don't want to comprehend the saber intent? Let me tell you. This saber intent was left behind by a senior expert whose Saber Dao is immeasurably deep. If you can comprehend a little, it will benefit you endlessly for the rest of your life.

"Furthermore, let me tell you this. If you want to become a Forging Master, it is impossible for you not to cultivate the Martial Dao."

Meng Bai's expression was serious, and he said with a sunken voice, "Did you see Grandmaster Zhu? He has the cultivation of a fifth-rank martial artist!

"The Martial Dao might not be the most important thing for forgers, but without Martial Dao cultivation, one's Forging Dao will definitely not go far!

"I have lived for so many years, but I have never seen someone who is not a ranked martial artist become a Forging Master!"

Zhu Chuanfeng is actually a fifth-rank martial artist?

Zhou Shu was alarmed to hear this.

Thankfully, Great General Meng came today. Otherwise, if Grandmaster Zhu was really shameless, I would have been in trouble.

A fifth-rank martial artist is absolutely not someone I can deal with right now.

Having thought of this, Zhou Shu glared at Sun Gongping.

This unreliable fellow, if he invited Yin Wuyou over, would there be a need to fear Zhu Chuanfeng?

Sun Gongping was confused. Why are you glaring at me?

He glared back.

Sparks flew between their eyes as they turned their heads away and snorted.

Meng Bai didn't notice their small movements. His expression became serious, as if he had made some major decision.

"No, I can't let a good seedling be held up just like that!" Meng Bai said in a low voice. "You must cultivate the Martial Dao! You must comprehend the saber intent!

"I still hope to see you become a Forging Master, a Grand Craftsman, or even a Divine Craftsman! The future of Grand Xia's Forging Division will depend on you."

Xiao Zongshui and the others were all dumbfounded. Isn't this a little too much?

Zhou Shu is just a young brat. Even if he has some talent, he isn't even a Forging Master yet. How can he represent the future of the Forging Division?

Him becoming a Grand Craftsman? Which Grand Craftsman wasn't talented when they were young?

Not to mention a Divine Craftsman!

Zhou Shu was somewhat speechless as well. Is this old man muddled?

"Great General, you are too kind," Zhou Shu said.

"No!" Meng Bai said seriously. "My eyes have never missed anyone, not a single one!

"I will immediately enter the palace to report to His Majesty and have His Majesty issue a decree to allow you to comprehend the saber intent!" Meng Bai said as he walked out, the Horse Slaying Saber in his hands.

"You must comprehend the saber intent. Otherwise, you will be disobeying the decree!" Meng Bai's voice sounded from far away.

Zhou Shu was dumbfounded. How can he do this?

I really don't want to comprehend any useless saber intent. I just want a practical reward!

What are you doing!

"Old Zhou, you're really something. You actually won!" Sun Gongping patted Zhou Shu's shoulder with envy.

"You've earned a fortune this time. Many people are dying to comprehend the saber intent!"

"Who cares!" Zhou Shu said unhappily. From the corner of his eye, he saw that Xiao Zongshui and the others had already reached the door and were about to slip away.

"Stop right there! If you're willing to bet, you have to admit defeat. Take out the contracts!

"Otherwise, I will get Great General Meng to talk to you!"