Elder Gao stood behind his anvil, sketching various designs on a sheet of paper.

  "The first step in forging or reforging a weapon is creating a blueprint of what you intend to craft." Elder Gao pointed to the three sword models he'd drawn. "I observed your combat style from your current sword—I believe these three models would suit you perfectly. What do you think?"

  Qing Xuanling examined the three sketches carefully. All were quite good, but she was immediately drawn to the sketch of a double-edged sword—wide enough not to break and sharp enough to cut a sheet.

  "This one looks excellent. It achieves perfect balance between width and slenderness—fast enough without sacrificing durability. It would be disastrous if the sword shattered mid-combat…" Qing Xuanling smiled wryly at the thought.

  That would be deeply embarrassing.

  Elder Gao nodded. "Good choice. It's my favorite as well. For now, I'll craft a prototype mimicking the sword's weight so you can test it. Return in two days. Also—I plan to use these materials for the reforging…"

  A long list of materials spanning all five elemental attributes flowed from Elder Gao's lips—surprising even Qing Xuanling.

  She asked hesitantly, "Won't the final cost be too expensive, Elder Gao…? I think that totals several thousand spirit stones…"

  Elder Gao chuckled. "The clan has already decided to cover all costs for this weapon's creation—don't worry. It won't be our pockets bleeding!"

  Qing Xuanling considered Elder Gao's words carefully. They seemed… reasonable.

  "Elder Gao… So why not also add these materials? I've heard they're quite excellent for weapon forging…" A list of high-grade materials spilled from Qing Xuanling's lips.

  Even Elder Gao was stunned. He'd thought his initial material list was audacious enough—but the girl had completely surpassed him!

  Not a single material of less than high-grade passed her lips!

  Elder Gao smiled wryly. "You're quite shameless, brat! But fine—I'll heed your suggestion. It won't be me suffering the consequences!"

  Qing Xuanling laughed—and Elder Gao joined her, both laughing joyfully. Their relationship had grown remarkably close in such a short time.

  They chatted a while longer before Elder Gao dismissed her, explaining he needed to begin gathering materials and preparing everything.

  "Remember to return in two days. I want you to test the prototype and see how it feels!" Elder Gao closed the door behind Qing Xuanling—after practically shoving her out.

  The elder seemed extraordinarily excited about reforging Qing Xuanling's sword.

  She could only shrug and exit the ancestral forge. Along the way, she didn't encounter Instructor Huan or the others—they'd likely already left.

  After all, Qing Xuanling had spent five hours fixing her cultivation flaws. It was natural they'd finished earlier.

  She pondered what to do with the remainder of the day. After all, it wasn't even noon yet. As she thought, she suddenly remembered something.

  "I still have a thousand contribution points unspent…!" Qing Xuanling's eyes sparkled. "Since I don't plan on changing my cultivation technique, I could use the thousand points to buy a new sword or movement technique! Relying on just one combat technique is starting to hold me back!"

  Her steps quickened as she hurried toward the clan's Scripture Tower. She hadn't walked ten minutes before arriving.

  The Scripture Tower—true to its name—was a five-story tower housing all the clan's knowledge, both mundane and cultivation-related.

  Qing Xuanling greeted the guard at the entrance and quickly stepped inside. Though the tower safeguarded the clan's vast knowledge, it was open to the public. In fact, Qing Xuanling often visited.

  Though she'd never set foot on the upper three floors—where the clan's techniques were stored.

  But for the first time, she would enter the third floor.

  She ascended the stairs to the second floor without drawing much attention. The second floor resembled the first—shelf after shelf filled with carefully arranged books and bamboo scrolls.

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  Librarians expended considerable effort keeping everything in order.

  Qing Xuanling glanced briefly at the second floor before heading straight for the stairs to the third floor. A librarian sat at a desk there—looking utterly bored.

  She smiled faintly at the librarian and produced her identity token—the copper plaque bearing the character "Qing" that she used to enter and exit the city.

  The librarian glanced at it briefly before silently taking the token and placing it into a frame with a slot perfectly shaped for the plaque. The frame glowed with a green hue.

  "You may pass. You have one hour before descending." The librarian explained succinctly. "Any technique purchase must be made through the third-floor librarian."

  Qing Xuanling nodded and quickly ascended to the third floor after retrieving her token.

  The third floor was far emptier than the first two—only a few dozen shelves remained. Yet the value of the books and bamboo strips here was undoubtedly several times greater than those on the lower floors.

  Moreover, it was much more desolate. While the lower floors had at least a few visitors, this floor held none.

  Qing Xuanling greeted the third-floor librarian—who surprisingly was an armless elder with closed eyes. She couldn't help but glance sideways at him as she passed—but ultimately only bowed respectfully and continued on her way.

  However, the armless elder—who hadn't responded to her greeting—spoke as she approached a shelf.

  "What do you plan to purchase?"

  The elder's voice was surprisingly clear and sharp—like the sound of a sword being unsheathed.

  Qing Xuanling was momentarily startled—but quickly replied. Receiving guidance from an elder wouldn't hurt.

  "A sword technique—and if I have enough points left, a movement technique."

  The armless elder nodded. "What sword and movement techniques did you practice previously?"

  Qing Xuanling's eyes brightened. It seemed she was about to receive an elder's guidance for the second time that day. She grew immediately excited.

  "The Iron-Cutting Sword Art—and I currently know no movement techniques. I only know the Iron-Cutting Sword Art." Qing Xuanling was honest. She had nothing to lose anyway.

  The armless elder seemed slightly surprised. He opened his eyes for the first time—revealing a pair of deep, piercing crimson eyes. "You only know that low-tier sword technique…? Show me your sharp Qi. That way I can assess your exact situation."

  Qing Xuanling hesitated for a moment. She frowned, considered it for a few seconds—then finally agreed. After all, he was within her clan. No one would harm her without reason.

  She manipulated her sharp Qi, enveloping her hand with it. Though she currently possessed no sword, she could still control sharp Qi. She gazed at the Qi—now slightly whiter than before—and smiled.

  For now, this was her ultimate trump card!

  However, contrary to Qing Xuanling's calm demeanor, the armless elder stared fixedly at the girl's sharp Qi—deeply shaken.

  'This is far more condensed than I heard!' The elder regarded Qing Xuanling with renewed astonishment. 'Even more surprising—that she achieved such pure sharp Qi with a low-grade technique! Undoubtedly a talent!'

  The armless elder smiled faintly—but quickly concealed it and offered Qing Xuanling a recommendation. "Search for the Wandering Sword Art on shelf three, and the Purple Phantom Movement Technique on shelf four."

  Qing Xuanling's eyes sparkled—and she quickly sought out the techniques the elder mentioned. Though she didn't know the elder, she could sense a powerful aura emanating from him. He was undoubtedly a high-level expert of the clan.

  First, she found the Purple Phantom Movement Technique—a mid-grade Yellow-rank movement technique. She read the introduction aloud:

  'A step left, a step right—walking between yin and yang, merging with the purple phantom in a single stride, evading the enemy's gaze…'

  Qing Xuanling smiled. 'Powerful!'

  That was her first thought upon reading the technique's description. Undoubtedly a great movement technique!

  Qing Xuanling grinned happily and quickly sought out the Wandering Sword Art. It resided within an ancient, time-eroded leather-bound book—but that didn't bother her in the slightest. She immediately read the technique's introduction:

  'A swordsman travels the world with only his sword as companion. If the sword cuts—one enemy falls. If the sword sweeps—dozens are severed. If the sword thrusts—the great dragon's heart is pierced. Wherever the wanderer's sword points—an enemy shall fall…'

  Qing Xuanling read the introduction and felt her heart pound.

  'Too dominant!'

  The technique's introduction was simply too domineering! Moreover—it was a high-grade Yellow-rank technique!

  Qing Xuanling needed no further deliberation. She quickly ran to the librarian—the armless elder.

  "Elder—how much would these two techniques cost me?!"

  The armless elder narrowed his eyes and gazed deeply at the two books containing the techniques. "Mmm—the movement technique costs four hundred contribution points. The sword technique isn't the most powerful—you can take it for six hundred contribution points."

  Qing Xuanling's face lit up. Not even the librarian's dismissive words about her chosen sword technique dampened her spirits. To the elder it might be ordinary—but to her, it was undoubtedly superior!

  She happily paid and quickly descended the stairs. She already yearned to begin practicing her new techniques.

  Silence enveloped the third floor of the library once more. The armless librarian remained with closed eyes—motionless.

  The silence held—until a figure suddenly appeared behind the armless elder.

  "Is that girl truly good enough to warrant you giving her those techniques?" The figure was a woman in her twenties. "I mean—they're not your personal techniques, old six—but that sword art is supreme-grade, nearly Profound-rank! And the movement technique is high-grade, not mid-grade! These are techniques that saved your life countless times in your youth!"

  "I'm surprised you actually dared alter the techniques' ranks to deceive the little one!"

  The Sixth Elder—Qing Zizhai—smiled faintly. "Don't pretend you haven't been watching her too, Fifth Sister. We both know that girl is worth it."

  The Fifth Sister smiled slightly as her figure began to fade. "Tsk—that girl is good in every sense! The other elders have their eyes on her too!"

  Qing Zizhai shook his head slightly and offered no reply.

  The Fifth Elder—Qing Wangu—pouted before her figure vanished completely.

  The library sank once more into silence—no one aware of the interaction between two of the Qing Clan's elders.