Chapter 166

Chapter 166: Toying with Short Winter Melon

If anyone with even the slightest knowledge of weapon forging heard Lou Yun’s idea, they would think he was either crazy or a fool!

A young man, unknown and having only studied weapon forging for two years, currently without any rank evaluation, wanting to defeat a fifth-tier skilled weapon maker through his first forging conference—this was absolutely impossible!

However, Lou Yun naturally had his own certainty. Back in Tianrang City, as a no-name, he had defeated the fourth-grade skilled weapon maker Xu Baichuan at the time, which was how he met Beichen Ming. After nearly two years, and now possessing the Chaos Golden Cauldron, defeating a fifth-tier skilled weapon maker, especially one like Short Winter Melon, should not be difficult in his mind!

Of course, he knew it was impossible to become a fifth-or sixth-tier skilled weapon maker himself. After all, becoming a ranked skilled weapon maker required the ability to forge corresponding-rank spiritual weapons, and he had no confidence he could forge Earth level or human level common weapons.

Lou Yun contemplated how to defeat a fifth-tier skilled weapon maker, and the imagined enemy in his mind had already become Short Winter Melon!

Simultaneously, Short Winter Melon was also scheming about how to kill Lou Yun without anyone noticing!

It could be said both harbored their own private thoughts. Though neither spoke, when their gazes met, identical feigned smiles appeared on their faces.

Lou Yun temporarily set his thoughts aside and said with a laugh, "Short Winter Melon, it’s getting late now. Should we start traveling? We can talk as we walk on the road!"

Short Winter Melon nodded. "Alright, let’s go!"

As he spoke, he pulled out his fan, intending to jump onto it, but Lou Yun stopped him. "Short Winter Melon, I can’t use a magical weapon to fly…"

Hearing this, Short Winter Melon froze, staring at Lou Yun in disbelief. "You can’t use a magical weapon?"

"Mm."

Using a magical weapon to fly required it to reach the Mystery Rank, which Lou Yun naturally couldn’t achieve. But Short Winter Melon found it very hard to believe that someone who could shatter his attack with one punch hadn’t even reached the Mystery Rank themselves!

Seeing the suspicion on Short Winter Melon’s face, Lou Yun intentionally spread his hands and said, "Seems we can’t travel together after all. How about this: we each go our own way. You fly in the sky, I’ll run on the ground. We can meet again at the forging conference!"

How could Short Winter Melon let Lou Yun leave alone? He hurriedly shook his head, grabbing Lou Yun’s arm. "Earlier I said you were acting distant, now you’re even more so! I said we’re friends now, so we should look out for each other. How about this: I won’t fly either. I’ll run on the ground with you. We have plenty of time anyway."

Lou Yun rolled his eyes. "Or how about this? You carry me while flying, wouldn’t that work?"

But Short Winter Melon shook his head vigorously like a rattle-drum. "No, no! My magical weapon has been having some problems lately. Plus, you see my build; carrying just myself is barely manageable. If I carried you, brother, I doubt we’d be any faster than walking!"

This was naturally a lie! Magical weapons weren’t like common weapons; they either functioned perfectly or had serious issues, like damage. There was no such thing as ‘some problems’! Moreover, carrying someone while flying depended on the magical weapons master’s strength, not the passenger’s weight!

Short Winter Melon refused to carry Lou Yun while flying purely because it would hinder his attempts to harm Lou Yun.

Flying required using his magical weapon. For magical weapons masters on Spirit Weapon Star, without their magical weapon as a weapon, their physical bodies couldn’t unleash much power. Short Winter Melon had already witnessed the strength of Lou Yun’s fists. If he was carrying Lou Yun on his fan while flying, and Lou Yun suddenly decided to kill him, he’d be completely at Lou Yun’s mercy!

Besides, in Short Winter Melon’s view, flying on a magical weapon was surely much faster than running on the ground. The venue wasn’t far now; he needed to seize an opportunity to kill Lou Yun during this journey. That’s why he decided to run alongside him.

How could Lou Yun not see through Short Winter Melon’s thoughts? When he heard Short Winter Melon actually wanted to run with him on the ground, Lou Yun almost burst into laughter internally!

Though his movement technique wasn’t exceptionally strong, it was far superior to Short Winter Melon’s. He’d soon see how Short Winter Melon managed to keep up!

Little did Short Winter Melon imagine that a magical weapons master would bother to diligently train their movement technique! So when he suggested taking small paths to avoid the main road, Lou Yun eagerly nodded in agreement!

Once they emerged from the remote little valley, Lou Yun employed his movement technique. He deliberately held back at the beginning, and relying on his cultivation level, Short Winter Melon managed to keep pace. Unexpectedly, later on, it was Short Winter Melon urging Lou Yun, "Brother, your speed is really lacking! Too slow! At this rate, we’ll probably miss the forging conference!"

"Too slow? Okay!"

Lou Yun gave a sinister smile and slightly increased his speed, still holding back. But now, Short Winter Melon couldn’t keep up!

Before they could fly, magical weapons masters traveling long distances always chose some form of transport. Once they could fly, they naturally spent their days in the air. When would they ever have a chance to run across land on two legs?

Short Winter Melon’s ‘running’ was merely infusing spiritual energy into his feet, then taking steps a bit larger than an ordinary person, moving a bit faster than average. It was completely incomparable to Lou Yun’s specifically trained method where his entire body borrowed the force of the wind for propulsion.

After gritting his teeth and enduring for half an hour, Short Winter Melon finally couldn’t take it anymore. "Stop running! Stop running! I can’t… can’t go on! Find a place to rest!"

Running for half an hour wasn’t even a warm-up for Lou Yun; he felt nothing. Looking back at Short Winter Melon, his chubby face was flushed crimson, sweat poured down his body soaking his clothes completely, and his feet seemed to tread on springs – one step deep, one step shallow – mechanically pumping away, probably even forgetting to use spiritual energy.

Seeing Short Winter Melon’s wretched state, Lou Yun felt considerable satisfaction inside. Outwardly, he still feigned incomprehension. "Short Winter Melon, how can you be this exhausted after running for such a short while?"

Short Winter Melon couldn’t even be bothered to speak. He just waved a hand dismissively at Lou Yun. Spotting a large rock nearby, he plopped down onto it without looking, panting heavily.

Lou Yun walked over to him with a cold smile, looking down with mockery. "Short Winter Melon, I think we should split up. You fly your way, I’ll run mine. With your slow speed, not only might we not reach the forging conference in time, you’d probably end up dead from exhaustion!"

Short Winter Melon ignored him, breathing heavily in great gulps. Once his breathing steadied a bit, he struggled to pull off his shoes. Looking at the soles of his feet, both were covered in blisters. The slightest touch made him grimace in pain!

He had never endured this kind of torment since childhood. But there was nothing for it; he had brought this on himself with his own malicious intentions. He was now enduring secretly the sufferings, unable to voice his bitterness!

After resting a while longer, Short Winter Melon finally spoke. "Brother, I really didn’t realize your stamina was so formidable. But I must say, you are strange! Clearly a magical weapons master, why train both your body and practice movement techniques? Wasting time on such things?"

Lou Yun shrugged. "That’s how my Master taught me. I think it’s fine too. Otherwise, I wouldn’t be this comfortable right now!"

His words left Short Winter Melon speechless. Lou Yun added cheerfully, "So? Can you still travel? If not, just get out your magical weapon and fly yourself. We’ll meet up at the forging conference if need be!"

After suffering for so long already, how could Short Winter Melon bear to give up now? He hastily shook his head, gritted his teeth against the pain, forced his shoes back on, and stood up. He couldn’t suppress another grimace but forced a smile onto his face. "It’s nothing, nothing! Just not used to it, that’s all. A rest has helped. Let’s continue! But, uh… brother… since we still have time, how about we slow down a little?"

Lou Yun suppressed his laughter. "Alright, let’s go."

Thus they set off again. But Lou Yun didn’t slow down as Short Winter Melon hoped; instead, he occasionally sped up. Short Winter Melon could only grit his teeth and follow. After another hour of running, Short Winter Melon suddenly pointed ahead. "Brother, I remember there’s a town up front. After traveling so long, I’m a bit hungry. How about we head back to the main road, enter the town to rest for a while? Get something to eat before continuing?"

With Short Winter Melon’s current magical weapon realm, how could he possibly still feel hunger? This was merely a ploy to find a way to dispose of Lou Yun quickly!

Lou Yun also wanted to see what Short Winter Melon intended to do to him, so he readily agreed. "Sure, I’ve been hungry for a while too. Let’s enter the town!"

Seeing Lou Yun agree, Short Winter Melon nodded with excitement. "Good, good! Into the town!"

The two made their way to the main road, entered the town, and found a tavern to sit down. Short Winter Melon casually ordered a few dishes and a jug of wine. Massaging his feet, he said to Lou Yun with a pained expression, "Ah, getting old… the body really just can’t keep up anymore. Young brother, could you do me a favor?"

"No need to be so polite! Whatever you need help with, just say it!"

"Look at these blisters on my feet, brother. I won’t hide it; I simply can’t walk. So I was hoping I could trouble you to buy me some ointment? I’ll apply it and see if it helps."

"Alright, I’ll go buy it for you."

With that, Lou Yun got up straight away and walked out. The moment Lou Yun disappeared from view, a sinister smile spread across Short Winter Melon’s face. His hand suddenly produced a small bottle. He poured three drops of a crystalline, transparent liquid into the wine cup in front of Lou Yun’s seat. Putting the bottle away, he then picked up the wine jug and filled Lou Yun’s cup to the brim.

Having done all this, Short Winter Melon’s smile widened. His feet seemed to miraculously stop hurting. Leaning back contentedly in his chair, he settled comfortably to wait for Lou Yun’s return.