CHAPTER 357: CHAPTER 357: SWORD AND SHIELD_1

Shen Mo’s forging proficiency was commendable. With a rough sweep of his sense, he knew that the quality of these spiritual materials could, at most, only be used to refine a middle-grade profound-level magic artifact.

He didn’t have a Skill similar to that of the Tieya Big Demon. Even if his forging proficiency were exceptional, it was a case of... even the cleverest housewife can’t cook without rice!

Hmph, interesting! Shen Mo chuckled lightly, having seen through the big demon’s petty thoughts. It must also know that with its rudimentary Forging Path, it cannot compete with a human Forgemaster. Therefore, it played to its strengths and avoided its weaknesses, leveraging its own Skill to forcefully enhance the quality of the forging materials and created a "high-grade profound-level shield". Strictly speaking, it can’t be said to have cheated! After all, an Innate Divine Ability is also a part of forging technique. However, this Tieya Big Demon probably didn’t know that the power of a magic artifact in certain aspects isn’t strictly linked to its grade.

Take Shen Mo’s Demon Slaying Sword, for example. Its forging materials, structural design, and inscribed runes were all focused on the traits of "solidity" and "sharpness." It had no other special effects.

Even back then, when this sword was merely high-grade profound-level, in terms of solidity and sharpness, it was comparable to an ordinary top-grade profound-level sword!

Of course, since the Marine Race wasn’t adept at the Forging Path, Shen Mo wouldn’t mock it.

On the contrary, he admired it for being able to combine its own Skill to elevate its forging technique to such an extent. It was truly worthy of the title "Forgemaster" among the Marine Race!

Clam Girl Ming Yu was a similar case. She was skilled in leveraging her innate talent, giving her unparalleled advantages in refining bead-type magic artifacts.

"Then I shall make a humble attempt!" Shen Mo said modestly. However, when he began, he fully displayed his style, revealing an extremely high level of forging technique.

Even a Grade II Forgemaster could forge middle-grade profound-level magic artifacts.

Therefore, Shen Mo wasn’t afraid of Wei Ye and the others finding out. With his current cultivation and strength, possessing Grade II forging proficiency was merely considered remarkable. Unless he refined a spiritual-level magic artifact on the spot, revealing Grade IV proficiency, that would be truly astounding!

BOOM!

He unleashed the Can Palm. Unlike when it was used merely for self-protection, the summoned phantom of the Canshui Monkey now held up an area, creating a dry zone.

Although Nether Fire could be used underwater, when forging, the environment—so drastically different from that on land—would undoubtedly affect the final quality of the magic artifact.

With Shen Mo’s proficiency in the Constellation Great Hand Seal, he could maintain this dry zone for a long time. This was true even under the immense pressure of billions of tons of seawater, providing him enough time to forge the magic artifact.

FWOOSH!

The chilling Nether Fire materialized in Shen Mo’s hand.

The next moment, the piled-up ores and spirit gold all began to float.

Under Shen Mo’s manipulation, they continuously melted into a molten state. Ores that couldn’t be melted were stripped of their impurities. Only a small amount of their essence remained, which was thoroughly pulverized and integrated into the Spiritual Liquid.

What he intended to refine was a flying sword!

Although the principles of forging were universal, Shen Mo had a deeper understanding of swords, having studied hundreds of different magic swords in the Sword Tomb Dungeon.

Therefore, he could refine an even more extraordinary flying sword!

Under the control of his immense Mana and sense, the molten metal suspended before Shen Mo, slowly taking the shape of a sword embryo.

One by one, forging seals were driven into the sword embryo by Shen Mo.

Among those present, aside from the Sea Horse Big Demon, most had some understanding of the Forging Path. This was especially true for the Sea Cucumber Big Demon, who, by the standards of the cultivation world, could already be considered a Grade III Forgemaster.

Each one of them watched Shen Mo’s forging process intently, without blinking an eye!

Meanwhile, deep within the Demon King Palace, Demon Lord Ming Cang sat before a Crystal Black Mirror. Her daughters, Ming Zhu and Ming Yu, stood obediently behind her.

The Treasure Mirror reflected Shen Mo’s figure as he was forging.

However, they were all unversed in the Forging Path and could only watch the spectacle. Ultimately, they would have to see if the magic artifact Shen Mo refined could pierce the shield forged by the Tieya Big Demon!

"This young man is exceptional in magic arts, Sword Path, vitality, and Skill! As for his appearance... he’s also quite divinely spirited and distinguished," Demon Lord Ming Cang mused.

"No wonder, Ming Yu, you’ve been so bewitched by him that you don’t even want to return home."

Demon Lord Ming Cang possessed a truly extraordinary bearing. She had both the imposing aura of a Demon King and the graceful bearing of a Clam Girl, and her voice also held a unique charm.

With such a mother, it was no surprise that Clam Girl Ming Yu had cultivated such an air of nobility.

"Brother is indeed a dragon among men..." Ming Yu nodded naturally, then, realizing, she pouted and said, "Mother, what nonsense are you spouting! I haven’t been bewitched by him."

"It’s just that being with Brother allows me to see scenery I’ve never witnessed before, so I’m just lingering a little."

"Besides, I can also practice the Forging Path with Brother."

"As for Senior Tieya, in this Path, he’s only at the level of tending the fire for Brother..."

Demon Lord Ming Cang feigned anger and said, "You little minx! Now you’re helping an outsider disparage your own family. If you keep hanging around this boy for a few more years, I’m afraid even I will be forgotten by you, tossed beyond the Nine Heavens!"

"Mother is right. Today, we absolutely cannot let this boy whisk Ming Yu away," Big Demon Ming Zhu chimed in from the side.

Ming Yu felt aggrieved and retracted her body back into her clam shell, refusing to come out.

While the mother and daughters were teasing and chatting, back in the Treasure Mirror, Shen Mo had already inscribed the final set of runes into the magic sword.

As the sword gradually cooled, he ran his hand along the blade, sharpening its edge. Instantly, an irresistibly sharp aura rose from the sword body.

As expected, the sword’s grade was indeed only middle-grade profound-level. However, its sharpness made Tieya, the Treasure-eating Sea Cucumber Big Demon, feel quite apprehensive.

When Shen Mo forged this sword, the combination of spirit gold and spiritual materials, the structural framework, and the inscribed runes were all meticulously designed around the concept of "solidity and sharpness."

It could be said that this was a Demon Slaying Sword of a slightly lower grade!

Of course, compared to the original Demon Slaying Sword, this sword also incorporated Shen Mo’s unique insights into forging, featuring many subtle differences.

For example, the sword body was a hair’s breadth thinner than the Demon Slaying Sword, and half an inch longer.

The runes inscribed into the sword body also included an additional set targeting shield-type magic artifacts, capable of piercing any defense!

"Go!"

With a point of his finger, Shen Mo directed the sword to stab towards the shield forged by the Tieya Big Demon.

He hadn’t performed a Blood Sacrifice to refine this sword, nor had he infused it with Mana. He didn’t even use his physical power. He relied solely on the sword’s inherent sharpness in an attempt to pierce the "high-grade profound-level" shield-type magic artifact.

PSCHT!

Under the Glare of Human Cultivators like Wei Ye, Marine Race big demons like Tieya, and, within the Demon King Palace, Demon Lord Ming Cang, Ming Zhu, and Ming Yu—the flying sword refined by Shen Mo instantly pierced through the shield and flew out from the other side.

"This... How is this possible?!" the Tieya Big Demon exclaimed.

"It’s merely a middle-grade profound-level flying sword! Why did it pierce through the shield I forged so easily?"

"According to your Human Cultivators’ standards, isn’t it true that the higher the grade of a magic artifact, the stronger its power?!"

"So why... is it the other way around now?!"

This Sea Cucumber Big Demon roared. Due to its massive size, its voice thundered like rumbling drums, causing the eardrums of the cultivators and Marine Race members present to ache.

Shen Mo possessed two external magic arts. Even vulnerable parts like his eardrums and eyeballs had been cultivated to be incredibly resilient. Thus, this deafening sound naturally couldn’t harm him.

He wore a serene expression and slowly said, "Fellow Daoist, I’m afraid you have some misunderstanding regarding the grading of magic artifacts!"