Chapter 23: The Birth of a Miracle!

Liu Tong was utterly stunned.

But this was only the beginning. He saw Du Gu Bieli mentally controlling the ore, causing it to orbit around his head, gradually stabilizing until he stood motionless, like a statue.

“What is he doing now?”

With questions swirling in his mind, Liu Tong continued to observe, extremely attentive and meticulous, fearing he might miss a single detail. He, above all others, knew what a brand-new forging method could mean. If this was truly authentic, it would send shockwaves through the entire Wildlands, heralding an unprecedented revolution.

At the same time, the soldier market, basically monopolized by the Tongtian Auction House, would face a powerful impact. If other auction houses joined forces with Butterfly Academy and spread this method, it would undoubtedly set the world ablaze.

If that occurred, the auction house’s profits would shrink drastically. As one of the five great family representatives, Liu Tong would be gravely at fault for having once soured relations, making himself an easy target for the other four families’ relentless attacks.

“I absolutely cannot miss this!”

“No matter the cost, I must restore our relationship and strive for an alliance with Butterfly Academy. Once this method is perfected, we will monopolize all soldier production.”

Eyes glued to every move, Liu Tong’s mind raced. All previous hesitation and reluctance vanished. The soldiers he brought with him this time—he had already decided—would be gifts!

While Liu Tong’s heart churned with turmoil, Du Gu Bieli had begun refining the ore. His mind penetrated deep into the mineral, exploring every tiny crevice, breaking it down. The essence was retained while impurities were decomposed into minuscule specks of dust, which floated like mist and slowly settled to the ground.

A dozen or so fist-sized clusters of purified ore, guided by his will, converged at the center, fusing together into a single mass that hovered a meter before his eyes. Taking a deep breath, he set his spirit ablaze once more, reaching an intense peak, and began a new round of purification.

For more than half a month, all his energy had been devoted to this. Now was the moment to reveal his results.

Liu Tong, sensing the critical juncture, focused all his attention on this “worst student,” missing the feverish glimmer in the eyes of the other students and instructors as they watched Du Gu Bieli’s demonstration. The Grand Dean, too, was sweating nervously at his temples, swallowing hard.

On the surface, Shadowless appeared calm and composed, but his hands, concealed in his sleeves, clenched unconsciously. It had only just occurred to him—how far had Du Gu Bieli’s “Divine Refinement” advanced, and how high was his success rate? This was a flaw in the plan: if Du Gu Bieli failed, the atmosphere they had carefully constructed over half a day would be wasted. Although he could gloss over it with words, saying this was only their weakest student, it would inevitably undermine their intentions.

What Shadowless wanted was for the Tongtian Auction House to bleed—a ruthless extortion.

Everyone watched in utter silence, hardly daring to breathe.

Du Gu Bieli’s spirit reached its blazing zenith, entering a state of complete self-forgetfulness. In his mind, only the word “purify” remained. Each spiritual tendril, driven by his frenzied will, suddenly underwent a miraculous transformation, splitting into two.

In other words, his spiritual power doubled in an instant!

And yet, this did not impair his control in the slightest; he remained as deft and precise as ever, wielding his will with ease. It was as if his entire being had divided into countless parts, exploring the inner world of the refined material. Everything here was his own creation; he was the omnipotent sovereign, calling things into or out of existence with a single thought.

He had entered the microcosmic realm—the ultimate stage of the Instrument Path’s refining process.

In this state, he could immediately distinguish what was useless and should be discarded, and what was worth preserving...

When the last motes of fine dust ceased to fall, the purification was all but perfect. This mass of essential matter was now nearly transparent, emitting a soft, alluring glow, writhing as if alive.

Suddenly—a razor-sharp intent was born in the void of his mind and merged seamlessly into the mass, each point perfectly accepting the other without resistance.

At the very moment fusion was complete, countless minute yet tangible blades of sharpness erupted, invisible but real, stabbing at everyone’s senses and consciousness, causing a pang of pain—as if assailed by a thousand tiny swords.

“What kind of forging method is this?”

Of all present, Liu Tong was the most astounded. He endured the sensation of a thousand needles piercing his body, refusing to retreat. Deep within, a voice shouted:

It’s real, it truly is.

This is a method that will ignite a new era in the Instrument Path.

I must have it!

Even if I cannot obtain it, I must, at any cost, mend ties with Butterfly Academy and seize total monopoly.

The ones in charge at Butterfly Academy were the Grand Dean and Vice Dean Shadowless. Forcing himself to spare a sliver of attention, Liu Tong looked at the two. “Today is the perfect opportunity—it’s all up to me! Whether the auction house can rise to a new height and crush all rivals depends on what I do now.”

An endless ambition and desire burned within him like wildfire, distorting his features. His gaze blazed brighter than the midday sun, circling back to Du Gu Bieli, never leaving him.

And in that instant, his eyes froze.

The perfectly refined essence began to stretch and elongate. In just a few breaths, it had taken on the outline of a sharp sword. The blade then adjusted itself, the edge spontaneously sharpening, every trace of the sword’s innate sharpness converging into one. Just looking at it, one felt as if their gaze was split apart, tears springing unbidden to their eyes.

Clang—

The moment the sword was born, it rang out with a clear, resonant note that seemed to reverberate through the soul, sending shivers down every spine.

Shadowless flickered forward, seizing the sword, and in a breath scanned its essence with his mind. Confirming its success—that it was a fully qualified soldier—he finally relaxed, feigning calm as he tossed the weapon to Liu Tong. “You’re an expert in this field. See if it meets the standard.”

“Please be prudent,” the Grand Dean, taking Shadowless’ cue, finally let go of his anxiety, adopting the air of a kindly elder worried for his students. He solemnly reminded, “This concerns whether a student can remain at the academy. Your judgment will decide his future. Examine it carefully.”

Liu Tong paused, glanced at Du Gu Bieli, and saw the youth’s anxious, uneasy expression as he hesitantly released his combat power.

Instantly, Liu Tong felt a bond as if he and the sword were one, his intent flowing freely, completely unobstructed, like a waterfall cascading from the sky. On this basis alone, he could conclude that the quality was flawless.

“What?”

The next moment, when he swung the sword in an attack, his power burst forth with a ferocity greater than he had ever achieved with any other soldier. He even felt the illusion that his own strength had deepened.

Liu Tong’s cultivation was at the Walker realm, built on immense resources and further enhanced by his family’s influence. He had fused the finest five-element essences, reaching four hundredfold power; with a normal soldier, it could reach eight hundredfold—a terrifying force.

But now, wielding this brand-new sword, he could unleash a thousandfold combat strength. In other words, this soldier had already surpassed the current limits of all soldier weapons.

Once again, he was profoundly shaken.

Liu Tong’s whole body trembled—not with shock this time, but with excitement.

He swore to himself: never in his life had he made a decision with such resolve—an alliance with Butterfly Academy was imperative.

All because he had witnessed this miracle with his own eyes!