"What a knife!" The crowd applauded. While the blade wielder was impressive, boosting the weapon's efficacy, others admitted they might not prevail against such a weapon.

"Any more takers?" Zhou You scanned the crowd and pointed at Li Yunxi, "Come, show me your blade skills."

Li Yunxi too was adept with a blade, but her techniques, gathered from various sources, were rather eclectic. In front of Zhou You, her moves seemed childlike.

"The strength behind the blade is there, but the speed is lacking..."

"You lack fluidity; your moves are too rigid. You need to apply swordplay flexibly and anticipate the opponent’s moves..."

"Well done, your internal energy is impressive. Let’s continue..."

After guiding Li Yunxi for half an hour, Zhou You became proficient with the curved blade. Growing more fond of it, he bowed to Master Fan, "Thank you for this wonderful gift, Master. I truly love these twin blades."

"You do them justice with your skill. Ha! But you can call me 'teacher' just like Shao Qi does."

A suggestive chuckle rippled through the crowd. Shao Qi approached and merged the two blades back into one, a marvel to behold. But how should one store such a weapon?

"Isn’t such a long blade prone to self-injury?"

"Hmph, that’s an easy fix. I'll craft a sheath for you, perfect for wearing on your belt when it's not in use."

Everyone left satisfied. The Litchi Mansion saw a stream of visitors that day, but only a few were invited in.

Upon returning home, they found Xu Yintian and Zhou Huajin's family in the living room. With just a glance from Shao Qi, the former accompanied him to the upstairs study for a chat.

Zhou Huajin was observing Zhou You. Although his appearance and stature hadn’t changed, he now emanated an inscrutable aura.

Mrs. Zhou was amicable this time, especially after hearing about their visit to Master Fan's house. She got straight to the point after the pleasantries.

"We've always wanted to commission a weapon from Master Fan, but he’s been in seclusion. Knowing your relationship with him, we were hoping you might procure a sword for Xiaochen, who is skilled with one."

Cheng Yuran proudly showcased his own blade, even tossing it to Zhou Yichen to examine, and said with a smile, "This was a gift from Master Fan. What do you think?"

Naturally, it's of high quality. Many of Master Fan's favored creations are kept as personal collections. Those sold to the public are often the ones he's less satisfied with, some even being the work of his disciples, ensuring every piece in his storage is of the finest quality.

"While the sword is magnificent, it's not suitable for me." Zhou Yichen was well-aware of his limitations. Being younger, he lacked the strength of adults, and this blade would be challenging for him to wield.

Su Ting'er presented a wooden box to Zhou Yichen, "Master Fan is unpredictable, and he might not be willing to craft one for you, especially with his backlog of orders. This is a blade I acquired a few years ago. If you like it, consider it a gift."

Zhou Yichen opened the box to find an old, rustic sword, its blade tarnished with rust. It was clearly an artifact from another era.

Mrs. Zhou noticed it too, thinking Su Ting'er was trying to insult them. Why would the Zhou family need such a degraded sword? They weren't penniless; they simply hadn’t found one that appealed to their son.

Zhou You held the sword, surprised by its weight. The hilt and blade were of the same material, and the blade appeared somewhat dull. But Su Ting'er wouldn't give away a worthless sword; it surely had its unique qualities.

"I've kept it unsharpened since acquiring it. Allow me to refine it for you." After about half an hour, Su Ting'er returned with the sword. Everyone's eyes lit up at its magnificence.

Most swords nowadays are crafted from alloys or animal bones, generally lightweight and often decorated for aesthetics. It's been a while since anyone had seen a sword with such authentic heft and texture.

Zhou Yichen was elated, his face flushed as he eagerly took the sword. As he demonstrated a sword routine, the blade felt heavy, making the moves slightly awkward. But he recalled his master’s words on training with heavier weapons to enhance strength, ensuring a solid foundation in the future.

Zhou Yichen aimed at a distant flower and sliced, severing its stem with the blade's force. Zhou You evaluated his younger brother’s skills, nodding in silent approval. He was indeed promising, albeit a bit headstrong in demeanor.

"I truly love this sword. Thank you, Grandfather Su." Zhou Yichen exclaimed joyfully.

While no one was paying attention, Lady Zhou discreetly asked her son, "Is it really satisfactory? Should we consider getting a sword crafted by Master Fan instead?"

"There's no need, Mother. A sword should fit its owner, and this one is perfect for me. Besides, I know this blade is priceless, a relic from ancient times."

"But weapons from the ancient times might not necessarily be the best. Did they have the advanced metallurgy we have today? How could they compare to our modern blades forged from mutated beast bones? Ordinary steel won't even scratch a high-tier mutant beast."

Zhou Yichen retorted, "Given my current abilities, how could I possibly confront a high-tier mutant beast? This weapon is more than enough for now. I can always upgrade when I grow stronger."

Lady Zhou was reassured by his words, thinking that they could always search for a better sword in the future. After all, Yichen is still a child.

From a window on the second floor, Shao Qi and Xu Yintian observed for a long while. Xu Yintian remarked, "I remember you unearthed this sword years ago. After testing at the research institute, it was found to be made of meteoric iron. Why give it to the boy through Su Ting'er?"

"After all, he's my nephew," Shao Qi replied casually. "I have no use for that item anyway." But he didn't want Zhou You to know it was from him, so he used Su Ting'er as an intermediary.

"I never realized the Zhou family had such prospects. Zhou Yichen already stands out among his peers. With Hu Shancheng backing him up, the Zhou family's influence is bound to grow in a decade. I wonder where their eldest son, the true talent, is!"