Dual Cultivation God Returns Chapter 1027: The right tools for the right purpose

"Aaaaaaaaah!", Kai Huoshi clutched his head, wildly ruffling his hair while gazing at the sword Wu Long had set down on the smithy desk, "M-my masterpiece!!!"

"Masterpiece... that term feels a tad too bold~... wouldn’t you agree? Sure~, it was undoubtedly a stunning creation, and I even complimented you on it~", Wu Long replied with a somewhat sorry expression, like someone who had gone overboard just a little.

"Valley Master, you’re far too harsh!!! How could you treat my precious baby like this?!", Kai Huoshi lifted the sword with shaky hands, tears nearly spilling from his eyes.

"It’s not destroyed, though... it’s merely back to its original condition..."

"It’s not the same at all..."

"...~much like the state it had before your initial handling", Wu Long rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly.

Indeed, this was the "Iron Leaf" sword that Wu Long had previously given to Kai Huoshi for reforging, after he overworked it with an advanced Bahshi Assassin Technique that scorched and wrecked its internal Spiritual Qi circuits.

Just days ago, he got it returned as a freshly reforged blade that Kai Huoshi proudly dubbed his masterpiece, yet the previous night, he tried out a Lightning Blade technique from his past life that he had once dismissed, resulting in...

"Come on~, it’s really not that terrible~"

"The fresh Spiritual Qi circuits are even more fried than before, some melted solid to block them entirely, the blade core has minor damage but holds together, still the edges are wrecked—not only the sharpness but the material’s tempering is utterly botched, the handle’s melted and charred, and... the blade’s warped!", Kai Huoshi spoke in a flat tone that only heightened Wu Long’s unease, until he held up the sword to reveal its evident curve.

"Hehehe, Valley Master sure went all out on it, huh?", Ci Han, positioned nearby, laughed lightly while shaking his head.

"...", Wu Long stayed quiet momentarily, then gave a shrug, "Well, when you put it tha~t way... yeah, it does come off pretty rough..."

"Because it is rough!"

"Okay, okay, relax. I messed up by employing an unfamiliar, untested technique during actual combat where halting wasn’t an option. Also, I overlooked the material’s fit with Lightning Attribute... basically, I pushed it beyond its intended use", Wu Long gestured calmingly to ease the blacksmith’s sorrow over the damaged sword, "But consider this: you reforged it while gaining knowledge. It wasn’t forged anew from raw materials. Reforging it once more could teach you even more, preparing you to craft your genuine masterpiece someday"

"Hehehe, didn’t you mention true masterpieces are fleeting, since the Dao goes on forever?", Ci Han grinned broadly.

"Not the time, Old Man Ci", Wu Long raised his hand, already managing one artisan’s emotional outburst, so philosophical debates on argument consistency weren’t ideal right now.

"...", Kai Huoshi stared at Wu Long with eyes brimming like those of the deeply unjustly treated, but at last let out a resigned sigh, eyeing the sword more calmly, "I guess... I could incorporate new ingredients to enhance it more... though it definitely won’t handle whatever technique wrecked it this time"

"Exactly! That’s the attitude~! Great thinking!", Wu Long beamed as tensions eased, "Naturally, I won’t apply that technique to the upgraded version. Actually, no Elemental Attribute techniques at all, as it’s not built for them... just pure swordsmanship from here on"

With another deep sigh, Kai Huoshi bowed lightly to the Valley Master and gathered the sword to begin repairs. A touch of fear and regret now tinged him, for in his dismay over the blade, he had acted boldly toward Wu Long, yet the latter appeared unbothered.

"On the topic of your masterpiece, by the way", Wu Long continued, drawing the focus of both master artisans, "I possess a material perfectly suited for Lightning Attribute that I’d love turned into a weapon, but it’s beyond your current skills and cultivation level..."

He produced the ore harboring the Sustained Charge Lightning.

"A 4th-tier Profound Grade material! Lightning Attribute to boot!", Ci Han’s eyes bulged as he seized the table’s edge to peer intently at the ore, "How in the Heavens did you acquire such a scarce treasure, Valley Master...?"

Kai Huoshi seemed to cast aside his sorrow over the sword, along with his fears of speaking boldly to Wu Long, as he became utterly mesmerized by the vision of this priceless treasure.

Wu Long let out a light chuckle, spotting the fervent gaze of two dedicated artisans, "As you can see, the quantity is extremely scarce, leaving hardly any leeway for trials".

"Hmm, I’d say it’s scarcely sufficient for a single sword, and even then, a fitting complementary material for the alloy would need to provide most of the bulk, potentially weakening the attributes a bit...", Ci Han mused, tilting his head and rubbing his beard thoughtfully, his voice laced with disappointment over the scant amount.

"That’s precisely why I considered a spear tip rather than a full sword", Wu Long affirmed with a nod.

"Ah! That changes everything—there’s material for two tries then... assuming, naturally, we find a suitable counterpart for the alloy as Master Ci mentioned", Kai Huoshi’s eyes sparkled with thrill, his thoughts already buzzing with fresh concepts and sparks of genius.

"Mm~ The Lightning Attribute aligns better with spear techniques than sword arts from the start... A wise decision and perfect application of the resource", Ci Han agreed with an approving nod, "Yet the Valley Master speaks true; it must await this youth’s readiness. Truth be told, my fingers tingle with eagerness, and my cultivation suits the task, but I’m merely an assistant for weapons... My expertise lies in Tools of Focus... particularly in crafting Vessels of Life above all..."

He shifted his gaze to the distant corner of the Refining Hall, where Ri Luhai toiled diligently, "My young companion there shares the same skillset... though he’s now venturing into the Obelisk of Solidity too, thanks to the insights you shared..."

Wu Long gave a nod in response, "I wasn’t anticipating instant creation. I only gave advance notice so preparations can begin. Besides, as you pointed out, I still need to hunt for a material worthy enough to alloy with it".

"You can absolutely rely on me, Valley Master—I’ll refine my skills to exceed your hopes!", Kai Huoshi declared with renewed vigor, free of all prior doubts, his voice brimming with enthusiasm as he bowed once more and strode to his forging station, with Ci Han trailing right behind.