New Sword Technique

"Shi Li, come here as fast as you can."

Of course with that kind of message, any person would think that the person who sent the message is in danger. As for Shi Li, this feeling was intensified as the voice of the message came from someone he knew very well.

Shi Zhang!

Indeed, Shi Zhang was the one who sent this message to Shi Li! His master who taught how to craft multiple items without complaint, this was Shi Zhang. Although Shi Zhang only sent out a wisp of qi to Shi Li at the moment he came back from his adventure in the Forest of Ruin, Shi Li didn't hesitate to run towards his master's smithy since there was still a chance of his master being in danger.

...

Shi clan, Shi Zhang's smithy.

Ttang! Ttang!

The sound of the metal hammer colliding with the heated metal resounded throughout the smithy as the blacksmith focused on the shape of the metal, not wanting it to deviate from its intended shape. This blacksmith was none other than Shi Zhang, Shi Li's master in terms of blacksmithing.

"I wonder if that Shi Li would come," Shi Zhang couldn't help but mumble to himself as he continued on hammering the metal, putting it in the furnace, and repeating the process all over again.

Of course, Shi Zhang didn't call Shi Li because he was in danger or in need of help, he had other plans in mind.

"Master!" Not long after Shi Zhang mumbled on whether his disciple would come or not, a rumbling sound came heading straight towards his smithy, revealing a skinny and handsome man in front of Shi Zhang.

"Oh, if it isn't Shi Li!" Shi Zhang hurriedly finished the blade he was hammering and stood up to come closer to Shi Li. He then placed one of his hand on Shi Li's shoulder as he asked, "How was your experience in the Forest of Ruin?"

"Haah...haah..." Shi Li took a few deep breaths since he used up all of his strength to head towards his master's smithy, consuming all of his stamina. Once he got his bearings together, he looked at his master and asked, "Eh? Didn't you call me because you were in danger?"

"In danger? Why would I be in danger if I'm a blacksmith that cooped up within the clan?" Seeing that Shi Li misunderstood the message's intentions, Shi Zhang laughed as he patted Shi Li on the shoulder. "Anyways, tell me about your experience in the clan."

And so, Shi Li then narrated his story of how he was chase by multiple Rank 5 to Rank 7 beasts, met Moddy, improved his [Flame Slash] technique, and completed the challenge his father gave him.

Shi Zhang nodded his head and couldn't help but say, "You know what? Your father is quite harsh on you. Challenging you to fight against Rank 3 beasts at your current cultivation level, that's tantamount to death you know!"

Shi Li chuckled as he grabbed Sundering Flame from his back and executed the half mastered Flame Slash in front of Shi Zhang. Ever since he entered the forest, he made sure to have Sundering Flame at all times. As for his Wooden War Hammer, it was inside his courtyard.

Fwoosh!

An orange sword light was shot out from the sword as parts of it condensed to form golden wisps of sword light, increasing the attack power of the sword light as it headed towards a nearby tree.

Bang!

Under Shi Li's strength combined with the half mastered Flame Slash, the tree that only had a diameter of 2 meters was easily cut into two as it fell down.

Shi Zhang looked at the prowess of his disciple's sword slash and nodded. "The power that slash holds is pretty strong, but it lacks in defensive power."

He then sat down on the chair in front of the anvil he worked in. Looking at Shi Li, Shi Zhang asked, "You're going to participate in the Novice Tournament a few days from now, right?"

"Yes, Master," Shi Li respectfully replied. There was no need to hide it. Who knows, his master might help him out in the tournament!

"Alright then," Shi Zhang stood up and grabbed a sword from behind the furnace before walking outside of the smithy while Shi Li followed behind. After making sure that they were decently far away from every building, Shi Zhang looked at Shi Li and said, "You already know that I'm known as the Slaughterer of the Forge."

Shi Li nodded. It was explained to him a long time already that his master was not only proficient in blacksmithing, but swordsmanship as well. But what he didn't know was that, thanks to him becoming his disciple, the dead spirit of a swordsman lingering within Shi Zhang was revived thanks to his tenacity to not only learn blacksmithing, but learn the sword as well.

"Okay Shi Li, I'll be teaching you a defensive sword technique that will complement your current offensive sword technique," Shi Zhang said as he bent his knees at an obtuse angle towards the ground. His sword was placed perpendicular to his upper torso as his body radiated the aura of an impenetrable fortress.

"This technique is called the All-encompassing Sword technique."

"Once mastered, every attack from the enemy will be blocked."

...

Shi clan, Shi Li's courtyard.

With the knapsack Shi Li gave him on his desk, Shi Xingwan slowly unfurled the knot holding the knapsack together, revealing the multiple important materials of the various Rank 2 and Rank 3 Beasts Shi Li has killed throughout the week he stayed in the Forest of Ruin.

He first grabbed a clean silver fang and raised it up by the light as he inserted a wisp of qi into it, identifying which beast had this fang.

"Oh, a Rank 2 Blood Wolf, quite nice," Shi Xingwan couldn't help but say as he continued on examining the important materials from Shi Li's knapsack.

One by one, he raised the material up by the light and inserted a wisp of qi before identifying the beast that gave this material. Some of the beasts that Shi Li killed made Shi Xingwan smile while some made him slightly shocked at the prowess of his son.

Twenty or so minutes later, only one item remained from the knapsack, which was a tusk that was metallic silver in hue. At first glance, his eyes widened as he knew the difficulty of killing this beast.

"A Rank 3 Steel Tusk Boar! I can't believe he killed such a beast!" Shi Xingwan was shocked. After a while, he mumbled to himself, "Later, I'll call him to my room and give him his 5 pills. No, I'll make it 7 pills!"

"My son's potential seems to be bigger than I thought!"