Free Web NovelChapter 207: Chapter 160: Name-Slayer
After taking care of his applications for the Seven Greats, Yu Fei awaited a summons from Honglian.
This Martial Saint had once promised that anyone in the third stage’s points challenge with more than ten net wins would receive a Martial Saint’s gift!
When the final tally was in, only thirty-two people had earned this honor.
All five of the silver-talented prodigies were among them. Zhang Xunyi was not; if that guy hadn’t kept targeting Yu Fei, getting ten net wins would have been no problem for him.
Of the thirty-two people, fifteen were S-rank prodigies, twelve were B-rank, and only five were A-rank.
It couldn’t be helped. The A-ranks were trying to challenge the S-ranks above them while simultaneously fending off the tenacious B-ranks from below. Unless their raw power was above a certain threshold, it was incredibly difficult to secure ten net wins.
With a Martial Saint’s gift on the line, the prodigies fought tooth and nail. The battles over the following two days were exceptionally fierce. Every prodigy who managed to secure ten net wins had both a precise understanding of their own strength and outstanding insight.
「March 29th」
Yu Fei and the others gathered in an open-air plaza to be reviewed by Honglian.
Countless powerful Grandmasters stood guard all around, holding flags and standing post, serving as a living backdrop. The scene couldn’t help but remind Yu Fei of a certain saying: ’Grandmasters are a dime a dozen, and Gang Qi wielders are cheaper than dirt!’
Of course, this was an exceptionally special place, because a Martial Saint who was also a Corps Commander was present.
Yu Fei had learned his lesson this time. He emptied his mind of all thoughts, putting on an expression of feeling deeply honored to be there.
’The psychological pressure from the Martial Saint’s night visit a few days ago had been immense, especially since it happened right when he was advancing his talent. He didn’t know if Honglian had seen anything, and he couldn’t help but feel anxious.’
Before long, Honglian descended, and a thunderous voice rang out.
"The Corps Commander has arrived! Salute!"
BOOM!
The sound of perfectly synchronized footsteps echoed as everyone placed their right fist over their left breast.
Yu Fei and the others had been taught this beforehand, so they performed the same military salute as the crowd.
He saw one of the Grandmasters strike his own chest with such force that it produced a sharp, metallic clang, leaving him speechless.
The atmosphere was solemn and dignified. Zhuo Feiming presented the gifts one by one, addressing each person accurately by name and offering them words of encouragement.
This act left the rookies, who were new to the martial path, profoundly moved, instilling in them a deep sense of validation and belonging.
This feeling extended even to the prodigies on the viewing platform who hadn’t received a gift. Honglian’s only criterion for the reward was net wins. This meant that even if one’s realm or ranking was low, they could still earn a gift as long as they had sufficient strength and chose their opponents wisely. As a result, most of the prodigies felt involved.
Plus, with so many Grandmasters and Gang Qi Martial Artists serving as a living backdrop, this was an event they could brag about for a long, long time.
Zhuo Feiming was very pleased with her impromptu plan. This way, she could leave a deeper impression on these youngsters. When it came time for them to choose a corps, the Shenxiao would have a greater advantage.
And the trinkets themselves were hardly worth mentioning.
Zhuo Feiming’s gift for each person was different. There were heavenly materials and earthly treasures, sharp blades and sturdy armor, Cultivation Techniques and secret arts, and even some extremely unusual items. Yu Fei saw Ren Feng receive a small trinket shaped like a tiny, transparent fishbowl pendant. Zhuo Feiming explained it was a Glowing Jellyfish, a specialty product of the Origin World, and Ren Feng happily accepted it.
Yu Fei couldn’t see the other gifts clearly, as only Ren Feng was standing directly in front of him.
Soon, it was Yu Fei’s turn.
Zhuo Feiming took a longsword from an attendant and handed it to Yu Fei.
The sword was incredibly long. Yu Fei estimated its blade was a full 1.5 meters, its hilt was sixty centimeters, and the body of the blade was a palm’s breadth wide.
It was huge. The sword’s design was simple and unadorned, without any engravings. Its edge glinted sharply, and its entire body was the color of platinum.
The moment he took the longsword, he almost lost his grip and dropped it.
Zhuo Feiming smiled, steadied the sword, and said, "This sword is something I forged for fun in my spare time, but the materials are top-grade, and the refinement technique is decent enough. It is both indestructible and brutally effective in its simplicity. I think it should suit you quite well."
A look of gratitude appeared on Yu Fei’s face as he carefully tried to discern Honglian’s feelings toward him.
"It is my honor!"
Yu Fei said fervently.
Zhuo Feiming continued, "This sword weighs around five thousand kilograms. With your current strength, it will be difficult for you to wield it freely. It should become truly useful once you reach the Inner Qi Realm. I’ve left it unfinished to allow for a secondary forging. In the future, when you’ve grown stronger, you can come find me at the Shenxiao Corps. This sword has the potential to become a Grandmaster’s weapon!"
Zhuo Feiming wasn’t being entirely truthful. She had used exceptionally high-grade materials and, taking Yu Fei’s current low strength into account, had put a great deal of thought into the sword’s creation. The weapons given to the others were the ones she had forged casually; this sword, however, had taken her a full two days. If put on the market, it would be worth an absolute fortune.
She couldn’t let Yu Fei sense that she was singling him out, which was why she made the sword’s design so plain. Only in the future, when Yu Fei took it onto a battlefield, would he understand the depth of her consideration for him.
The enemies humanity faced were either numerous but small, or few in number but massive. Therefore, a suitable weapon and an appropriate fighting style were critically important.
On the battlefield, most people preferred long or heavy weapons—or a combination of both—in order to kill with a single blow and deal effective damage.
One couldn’t rely on techniques like blade auras or sword beams. While powerful, they consumed far too much Inner Qi and were unsustainable in a prolonged battle.
Sometimes, a grueling battle could last for days on end, making stamina conservation absolutely crucial.
Yu Fei took the greatsword, strapped it to his back with some effort, and thanked Zhuo Feiming once more.
Only then did he finally lower his guard. During their conversation, he had sensed a trace of goodwill from Honglian. ’It isn’t much,’ he thought, ’but it means things aren’t heading toward the worst-case scenario.’
