Sword Among Us
Sword Among Us - Chapter 1221: Popularity At Its Height

A few days ago, the headquarters of Lovely Land started receiving the members from its branches. These members were all here for the tournament.

Even though the sparring sessions before the tournament would not be listed as the official result and Happy would not be personally hosting it, there were just too many people entering the competition this time, and Lovely Land had to ask the elites in the branches to choose their opponents and compete against each other in private before the official tournament.

One of the reasons behind it was so that the elites in the branches would now the strength of the strongest group in Lovely Land, and the second was so that the elites from the branches could calculate their winning chances after they became familiar with their own win-lose ratio.

For the next few days, the elites from the branches obeyed Vice Sect Master Ji's plan. They searched for the famous elites from the headquarters and the branches so that they could fight against them.

Dozens of fights that numbered to almost one hundred were conducted in a day itself.

The sparring sessions before the tournament allowed many people to understand the strength of the best in Lovely Land. It also allowed them to understand just how great the resources distributed to those at the upper level of Lovely Land were.

Those who had a high ratio of losing or had an even win-lose ratio naturally could not find it within themselves to join the tournament later on. Their average strength caused them to not have the chance to win at all.

However, many people did not become dejected just because their results were average or bad. In fact, they did not even think about quitting the sect.

This time, not only did the sparring sessions before the grand tournament show the mighty strength in Lovely Land, it also expanded the stage of the unprecedented tournament until it was a circular area of dozens of miles around the headquarters.

No matter where they went, they would be able to see a pair or a few pairs of people competing against each other in private. There would also be a varying number of people watching by the side.

There were dozens of miles from Beijing to the headquarters of Lovely Land, and that entire stretch of land turned into a grand sparring road. While the people traveled down the road, they would notice that each of the sparring pairs would not provide a boring fight. Each fight was exciting on its own way, and the atmosphere present whenever there was a sparring session was very prevalent here.

Both parties in the sparring sessions were very serious and careful. Once they ended their sparring sessions, they would wrap their fists in their palms in the manner of a wanderer and leave. They would then either sit down to recover their qi or search for their next target.

The players watching by the side observed and admired their attitude. At the same time, they gained their own epiphanies from the fights and discussed their experience in countering the moves.

The shadows and glares from the weapons might fly all over the place, but things were kept incredibly harmonious.

This scene could only be found at the headquarters of Lovely Land in the entire Chinese plains and even the whole world!

"This Happy… is really not a simple man!" After Phantasmal Shadow returned from the desert, she obtained a report from her subordinates, and she hurried to the place overnight. Then, she went around the place a few times before she gave this comment. "If they sparred before the tournament, they could cut down on the procedures, and sparring sessions like this could also completely display the strength of the best of Lovely Land, along with the sect's foundation. Not only does it intimidate the outsiders and shock us, it can also deepen the sense of belonging within the Lovely Land members. It would also reduce everyone's attention on Heavenly Saber Song Que's legacy."

"Two million people…" Wandering Know-it-all's evaluation of Happy was not low either. He could not help but sigh. "They are a large number of scattered pieces, and he managed to unite all of them within just a short period of time! He has wits and courage. Right now, no one can compete against him in this area, including One Emperor and Evil Emperor."

"That's right! He played a beautiful hand in this." As Wu Kuo listened to Phantasmal Shadow and Wandering Know-it-all's conversation, he smiled and said, "Thank goodness I'm not enemies with Happy. Otherwise, I'd definitely be living in anxiousness and unease everyday."

"That's right." Phantasmal Shadow nodded.

Lovely Land improved too quickly, and it had already flung Wind Assault Tower far behind it.

However, she could understand it.

There was Wild Wolves eyeing them with hostility, and this was a large organization with a powerful foundation. If Lovely Land improved slightly slower, they might encounter a destructive disaster.

With two precedents, Phantasmal Shadow knew what was more important.

"This time, Happy managed to keep Tiger Soul in the Chinese plains. He did not allow the Wild Wolves to get the weapon, and he can be considered to have contributed greatly to the Chinese plains, otherwise, I'm going to have my work cut out for me."

"That might be the case, but the matrix the Wild Wolves used this time is not to be underestimated…" Wandering Know-it-all changed his tone and frowned before he said, "Based on what I understand of Evil Emperor, once he perfects Great Dao Heart Demonic Seed Art, he will definitely come back. At that time, we will definitely have to fight against the Great Forbidden Daiya Technique. This time, Happy completely organized Lovely Land and revealed its strength. This is good news to the Chinese plains!"

When she heard Wandering Know-it-all mention the Great Forbidden Daiya Technique, Phantasmal Shadow had a fearful and grave look flash in her eyes.

"Ever since we ran into the Great Forbidden Daiya Technique, I have been searching for a high-grade formation constantly, but we're short on time. For the time being, I can't find a matrix as amazing and powerful as the Great Forbidden Daiya Technique." When she said this, she stopped. She knew that even if she did not continue, Wandering Know-it-all would still understand the importance of what was to come.

"We're not in a hurry for it right now. I've already made a reading of the Wild Wolves. As of current, there are still not many people who know the Forbidden Daiya Technique. They only have around a dozen groups who know the technique. Wind Chimes should be able to take care of a group of them somewhat with her sound waves. One Emperor will have no problem in fighting against one to two groups alone. That's why Evil Emperor won't do anything reckless within just a short moment. Phantasmal Shadow, you still have time."

Phantasmal Shadow nodded silently. Then, she was stunned for a moment.

"By the way, where is Wind Chimes?"

From the moment she entered Wandering Know-it-all's mansion, she noticed that Wind Chimes was not around.

The safety for someone with Nine Yin Blocked Pulses was incredibly important. Right now, they had not finished getting rid of all the remnants of Class One Hall, and Wandering Know-it-all should not have allowed Wind Chimes to go outside so easily.

"The Lovely Land members escorted Wind Chimes to a place."

"Hmm?"

Phantasmal Shadow and Wu Kuo were both stunned. "The tournament is about to occur soon. I heard that Wind Chimes registered for it as well. Why isn't she staying in Beijing to prepare for it? What could possibly be more important than the tournament?"

"Wind Chimes registered for it to give the people who registered for the tournament pressure and to filter out those who are weak in spirit. After all, she is the successor of Six-fingered Demonic Zither. It won't be easy for her to learn other martial arts," Wandering Know-it-all answered but avoided the question as to where Wind Chimes went.

Phantasmal Shadow and Wu Kuo were both sensible people. When they saw that Wandering Know-it-all avoided the question, they knew that this was definitely related to that person, so they stopped asking questions.

In the past, with the relationship that Wandering Know-it-all and Phantasmal Shadow shared, he might have revealed some answers.

But now, Happy had summoned Wind Chimes and sent her to meet the sect master of Zither Sect, saying that she might be able to get a blessing. If she went there, Wind Chimes might be able to improve.

Since this was a blessing for his only disciple, Wandering Know-it-all did not want to take the risk of talking about it and letting other people learn of it. The escort thing was actually fake.

"Vice Sect Master Ji!"

"Vice Sect Master Ji, are you busy?

A group of members who logged in at the entrance of Virtue Gathering Hall for Lovely Land. Right when they walked out of the corridor, they were just in time to see Ji Feng talking with a group of men smelling of smoke and metal. He nodded at them to greet them. Then, he brushed past them in a very relaxed manner.

It was only when they were some distance away did these members speak up and laugh softly.

"How many batches has it been?"

"It's either the eleventh batch or the twelfth batch…"

In truth, over this period of time, many of the master-level ironsmiths in the Chinese plains learned that Lovely Land obtained a group of supreme-grade materials to create high-grade divine weapons. They were greatly stimulated, and they came to the sect without regard to the cost, hoping that they could work together with Lovely Land. They were willing to help Lovely Land create divine weapons for free.

Ji Feng had received a large group of master-level ironsmiths over this period of time. By now, there were more than one hundred master-level ironsmiths in the sect.

In the beginning, these ironsmiths only chose to work together with Lovely Land, but later on, more than half of them joined Lovely Land, and now, that number was still increasing.

Even though that was not a lot of ironsmiths, master-level ironsmiths were incredibly valuable talents in the whole world.

A master-level ironsmith would mean that he or she had created more than one hundred demon vessels and divine weapons, and they must have enough experience in refining fourth echelon equipment.

Regardless of whether it was Phantasmal Crystals or supreme-grade iron ores of the same grade, there was a limit to the spawning rate for these items. An influential and large sect could at most create two to three master-level ironsmiths, and if a normal sect had a master-level ironsmith, it was considered to be a sect of a considerable scale. Right then, Lovely Land now had nearly one hundred of them. This number was enough to intimidate the divine weapon and armor forging business. In fact, they could monopolize most of the production of high-grade divine weapons and demon vessels.

"I am very happy that you are willing to join Lovely Land as well. But I am afraid that it will be very difficult to achieve your requests."

A normal sect would already be so happy that their bones would turn into jelly when a few master-level ironsmiths wanted to join them, and they would agree to whatever conditions they came up with. But Ji Feng remained as calm as a mountain. In a tone that was very formularized, he answered, "We only have a limited number of supreme-grade divine weapon materials. Right now, most of them have already been used by the seventy or so masters in the sect. I'm afraid that we can't give them all to one of you so that you can push yourself to the level of a deity-level ironsmith."

"What?!"

The master-level ironsmiths who came together had their expressions change.

"Are you an idiot?!"

"How could you distribute so many supreme-grade divine weapon materials to other people? Don't you know the importance of giving them to only a select few so that they can reach deity level?!"

Ji Feng remained smiling calmly and relaxedly in the face of the master-level ironsmiths' distressed expressions. "My sect master said that the materials must be distributed equally. No one will be given special privilege. Even if they are master-level ironsmiths, they must use contribution points before they can get the materials. If you want the materials, it'll be simple, it will depend on how you can contribute to our sect."

"What are we supposed to do?" One of the ironsmiths asked eagerly.

"It's easy. Create divine weapons and demon vessels. The grade will determine how many contribution points you can get. The contribution points you gather can be used in exchange for the materials in the sect storage." Ji Feng already did not know how many times he had already repeated this.

He also knew that these ironsmiths would definitely put on a very arrogant attitude next to speak.

"Tsk, create normal divine weapons and demon vessels? That's easy… I'll immediately bring out a batch of divine weapons and demon vessels from the bank. Change it to contribution points immediately."

He knew it!

"Alright." Ji Feng continued smiling, though his smile was stiff now. "We'll do it according to ratio. If you contribute fifteen divine weapons, you will be able to get one Black Sand Crystal, but when it comes to the precise procedure, you can go through it yourself at the headquarters once you join Lovely Land."

Once he finished speaking, Ji Feng used his qi to create a true qi layer that would filter out noise. He put it at his eardrums.

"Fifteen?!"

"You might as well rob us!"

"You're asking for fifteen divine weapons or demon vessels in exchange for a Black Sand Crystal!"

"That's too much!"

The master-level ironsmiths shouted in anger together.

Ji Feng rubbed his ears and continued explaining. "The price for a high-grade divine weapon is one hundred times a normal divine weapon, and it is twenty times the price of a middle-grade divine weapon. We're already providing a discount by asking for fifteen divine weapons or demon vessels for one Black Sand Crystal. There are a few ironsmiths who are gathering materials right now, and they're thinking about reserving a few more Black Sand Crystals—" Before he finished speaking, the sound of a few sect application notices popped up in his ear.

"Welcome aboard to Lovely Land." As Ji Feng stared at the exasperated ironsmiths who looked incredibly determined, Ji Feng released a sigh of relief, as if a huge burden had been removed from his shoulders.