"You lost? You're sure?" But instead of being rattled by Liu Bingqi's smugness, Chu Feng simply smiled faintly.
"What, isn't the result obvious enough?" Liu Bingqi asked.
"Since we're forging weapons, the judging should naturally be based on quality. If we're only looking at speed, then couldn't I just casually forge an iron sword, and as long as I finish faster than your six hours, I'd beat this rare weapon of yours that took six hours to create?" Chu Feng said sarcastically.
"Bullshit! How can my supreme-grade rare weapon be compared to some iron sword?" Hearing this, Liu Bingqi flew into a rage. In his view, this was an insult to his character.
"If the competition is about quality, not speed, then how can you claim you've won?" Chu Feng said.
"Fine, since you put it that way, I'll make you lose so completely there's no argument. When your weapon is done, we'll compare quality. But if you lose, you'll get on your knees and kowtow to me in front of everyone and admit that you're inferior to me," Liu Bingqi said through gritted teeth.
"No problem. But what if you lose?" Chu Feng asked.
"If I lose, I'll kowtow and apologize to you, admitting in front of everyone that I, Liu Bingqi, am inferior to you," Liu Bingqi said.
"No need. You don't have to kowtow to me. But you must kowtow to him," Chu Feng said, pointing to Zhao Xiang behind him.
"Fine, I agree. But I'm afraid you won't get that chance," Liu Bingqi said, glancing at Zhao Xiang and laughing contemptuously. In his mind, his victory was absolutely certain.
"You'll see whether I get that chance or not." Chu Feng merely smiled faintly. Only he himself knew why his smile carried such confidence.
After that came another long wait. One hour, two hours, until five hours had passed, and Chu Feng's Refining Cauldron still showed no sign of activity.
At this point, the sky was already bright and fully lit by the midday sun. Counting the time, a full twelve hours had passed since Chu Feng began forging—an entire day and night had gone by.
Liu Bingqi had finished his rare weapon six hours ago, yet Chu Feng's cauldron still hadn't made a move.
People couldn't help but grow worried. Even the two Standing Elders who had been brimming with confidence in Chu Feng now furrowed their brows and began to worry.
Chu Feng had already lost on time. If his weapon couldn't surpass Liu Bingqi's in quality, he would truly be defeated. Losing was one thing, but if he had to kneel and apologize to Liu Bingqi, the reputation Chu Feng had worked so hard to build would be destroyed in an instant—all for Liu Bingqi's benefit.
In that moment, everyone who stood on Chu Feng's side broke into a cold sweat of anxiety for him.
If the two had been comparing combat strength, they would never have doubted Chu Feng. But this was a contest of forging skills, and many simply had no idea what to expect.
Rumble...
Just as everyone feared Chu Feng would lose, his long-sealed Refining Cauldron suddenly began to tremble—and the trembling grew more violent with each passing moment, producing an ear-piercing screech. Even the ground beneath their feet began to shake.
Boom! With a thunderous explosion, a beam of light burst forth from within the Refining Cauldron.
The beam was blindingly bright, like a radiant sun descending from the heavens. Even the powerful cultivators present could hardly withstand its dazzling brilliance.
"How is this possible? Such intense light... Could it be that this guy really forged a weapon of even higher quality than mine?"
Watching the brilliant light, Liu Bingqi's face changed dramatically. He who had been brimming with confidence from the very start felt his heart race with panic for the first time.
Because whether in weapon forging or pill refining, the intensity of the phenomenon that accompanied a finished product's emergence always reflected its quality.