Chapter 4, within the Sword Pool

"Sword Slave, this is a hidden dart. You will deliver it to Uncle Zhongmei and have him further improve it. In five years, I want three hidden darts capable of killing top masters in the martial world." Ao Jue said as he handed the hidden dart to Sword Slave.

Aojue has already been taught all of Aosheng's skills, so now every morning Aojue no longer has to follow Aosheng to practice swordsmanship as he did before. After having breakfast, Aojue sets off towards his destination for the day, which is the Sword Pool

The emergence of the Qilin heralds the beginning of a new era, where winds and clouds start to gather. Following this, a tumultuous storm brews, filled with unpredictable twists and turns. Everything is marked by the appearance of the Fire Qilin, which thus holds a significant position in the heart of the proud.

Ding ding

Although there is a precious and unparalleled sword in the sword pool, such a treasure is not something anyone would sell. Moreover, this extraordinary rarity has not yet been truly forged. The numerous inhabitants of the Proud Sword Manor also need to make a living, and sword forging is the sole source of income for the manor. Therefore, the swordsmiths in the sword pool often create some exceptional weapons among ordinary ones. Although they cannot compare to the unparalleled sword, they are still remarkable weapons.

"Young Master, is there something urgent that prompted you to sound the alarm at https://www.hetushu.com?" the sword servant asked expressionlessly

"Indeed, this is forged from fine iron; its power far surpasses that of what I created in my previous life. Such might is already sufficient to threaten second-rate masters in the martial world, yet for me, it is still not enough"

Hmm. Ao Jue nodded in acknowledgment, then stepped into the Sword Pool.

Without pausing for even a moment, preoccupied with the progress of the hidden darts, he strode proudly towards the depths of the Sword Pool.

"Uncle Yun, have you finished crafting the items I entrusted to you?" Ao Jian asked respectfully. Uncle Yun is the leader of the swordsmiths in the Sword Pool, and his family has been forging swords for the Ao Jian Manor for generations. He is an elder within the manor, and thus the Ao family has never regarded him as a servant.

Aojue retracted the hidden darts and put them away, then stepped forward, heading deeper into the Sword Pool. Upon reaching a certain depth, Aojue found it increasingly difficult to proceed. Arriving at the stone wall, Aojue reached out and pulled the iron bell.

"Young Master," the two servant guards outside the Sword Pool respectfully called out to him as Ao Jue walked into the Sword Pool

"That's great, thank you, Uncle Yun." After receiving the hidden arrow, he proudly expressed his gratitude to the book and eagerly sought a place to test its power.

Aojue walked to the corner of the swimming pool behind the artificial hill, and stepped on the ground five times with his foot, varying the intensity and urgency of each step. After Aojue finished, a stone door leading to the underground suddenly appeared on the ground in front of him, opening without a sound.

Aojue understands that there are indeed too many hidden masters in the world of wind and clouds. By the later stages, first-rate masters are so numerous that they seem to be as common as wholesale goods, losing their value. Therefore, Aojue knows that the power of this hidden arrow must be strengthened. Fortunately, he does not need to use the hidden arrow just yet.

In the early morning, when the sun had just risen, Ao Jue emerged from his meditation, having practiced internal energy cultivation for two months. The morning training had become an indispensable part of Ao Jue's life.

In a clearing within the Sword Pool, Ao Jue stood there, beginning to load arrows into the sleeve tube. This sleeve tube, crafted by Uncle Yun, could hold three arrows. After loading the arrows, Ao Jue selected a hiding spot and began to aim and shoot.

Reflecting on the fact that internal skill cultivation cannot be achieved overnight, Aojue desires to possess a protective weapon before truly becoming a master of the martial arts world. Therefore, ten days ago, he submitted the design blueprints for the sleeve arrows from his previous life to the swordsmiths within the Sword Pool at https://www.hetushu.com. The swordsmiths in the Sword Pool are among the rare masters of forging in the world, and it is reasonable to assume that ten days is more than sufficient for them to craft the sleeve arrows.

"Very well, I will convey the young master's words to Zhong Mei." The tone was devoid of any emotion or color, and after speaking, the sword servant walked into the depths of the sword pool with the concealed arrows in hand

The Sword Pool remained as lively as ever, with waves of scorching heat rolling in one after another. Although Ao Jue had been practicing his internal skills for two months, he still could not withstand the high temperatures within the Sword Pool. Therefore, at the entrance of the Sword Pool, he donned the heat-insulating feather robe that he had prepared long ago.

"Young Master, you have arrived," said a remarkably burly man in his forties, continuing to hammer the iron in his hands as he spoke to Ao Jue.

"What a complete wooden man he is, and I wonder how the previous generation of sword servants managed to endure. Only such individuals can withstand loneliness, dedicating their lives to guarding an unparalleled sword." As the sword servant departed, Ao Jue remarked with some emotion, for this unparalleled sword had consumed a century of effort from three families.

Soon, the sword servant emerged; the current sword servant is a young man, as the previous generation of sword servants has already retired

"You are referring to the little gadget you asked me to create ten days ago, right? It has been completed. I tested it, and its power is indeed impressive, much stronger than a bow and arrow," Uncle Yun said as he put down what he was holding and handed the finished hidden projectile to Ao Jue.

It is time to move on to the next task, and some pieces should also be set in place. Having seen that matters in the Sword Pool have been resolved, Ao Jue no longer lingered and turned to leave the Sword Pool

In fact, the swordsmiths within the Baijian Mountain Villa possess the skills to forge superior weapons. However, this group of individuals is exceedingly lazy; were it not for the need to earn a living for the villa, they would likely be unwilling to forge even a single weapon for sale. In their words, this would be a waste of time, and their justification is that they require time to study and enhance their sword-forging techniques

In the backyard of the Sword-Begging Villa, there is a swimming pool, built by the couple Ao Jue and Ao Sheng after their marriage. This swimming pool is constructed entirely of the hardest rock, making it nearly impossible for even the top experts in the martial world to easily damage it. Ao Jue had once asked Ao Sheng to test this, so there is absolutely no exaggeration in this matter

Three arrows were shot out in rapid succession, striking the uneven surfaces of the stone wall with pinpoint accuracy. The tremendous force of the arrows even shattered the stone wall at the points of impact, and the three arrows firmly embedded themselves into the wall.

Before approaching the Sword Pool, Ao Jue had already heard the clanging sound of iron being forged within. Growing up in a family renowned for sword-making, Ao Jue was naturally well-versed in the art of forging. By discerning the sound, he could tell that the materials being crafted in the Sword Pool at that moment were anything but ordinary.

With a heart full of anticipation, he walked towards the Sword Pool with a hint of excitement. Unintentionally, he would occasionally glance at the wall of his home along the way, for it bore the most striking mural of the world of wind and clouds: the Fire Qilin.

Although this swimming pool is the most valuable structure in the backyard, it is so specially treated that the average person cannot discern it at all. Even experts in this field would not be able to figure it out quickly. The reason for the considerable effort put into constructing this swimming pool and its subsequent transformation is that there is more than meets the eye beneath it.

Indeed, beneath this swimming pool, the Proud Absolute Sect has constructed an underground palace. Although the Sword-Bowing Villa is not a renowned sect, it holds a certain level of fame in the martial world. Since it is known to the public, some matters naturally cannot be conducted openly, which is why the Proud Absolute Sect built the underground palace.

Swish swish swish