"I assume you already knew about this and had a plan for if I'm going or not." Quan said.

"Of course you're going," Asha said. "No one will miss this unless they are on their deathbed. Even then, they might go looking for a miracle."

"First, how close are you to clearing your meridians?"

Quan quickly brought up his status Screen. "90% on secondary. I should push through within a few days."

"That leaves us just enough time," Asha said. "When a young cultivator fully unlocks their meridians, they are done with the childhood of their training." Asha started walking towards the end of the sparring square where Chiro waited. "Your training has certainly been rushed for starting so late. However, it has also been more intense. Few if any students ever received so much direct attention from a master as you have. Hopefully, the two have balanced out and resulted in a solid future for you."

"There are many paths open to a cultivator from this point. No one can claim which is stronger or more likely to allow your ascension to the highest levels. You must find the path that feels right to you."

"What paths?" Quan asked. "Does this relate to the three pillars?"

"That and more. I will explain all I can when you clear that final piece of your meridians. Today is about what Chiro has brought."

Chiro had set up a basic sword rack at the side of the sparring ring, and several blades were on display.

"You asked me to build you a sword without weakness and only strengths," Chiro said as they approached.

"That's putting it a bit far," Quan protested.

"Not much!" Chiro declared. "I still gave it some serious effort. I have a few of my tests to show you. Some are obvious failures, so you can see why they won't work and don't argue with me. Some are here to see which feel like what you're looking for. Swords are a compromise. Each has some inherent strengths or weaknesses. What matters is your skill with the blade to cover the gap."

"Asha, will you please spar with our budding swordsman to test the merits of each?" When she nodded and moved to the middle, he handed a sword to Quan. "First, the rejects, this is basically a long katana."

"Do we really need to test the rejects? This doesn't even seem like it would barely improve the original," Quam asked as he swung the blade.

"Consider part of your blacksmith training as well. You can see how each change affects the blade, so when it's your turn to fill the request of some imaginary perfect blade, you aren't lost."

"Fair enough, these are all made from basic steel?"

"With some ki enhancements as I saw fit."

Quan rushed at Asha, and they exchanged several quick blows, but as he tried to block strikes instead of evading, the sword's weakness was quickly evident. Next, Chiro put a behemoth of a sword in his hand. A great two-hander, nearly as tall as he was. Quan didn't even have to use it to know he wanted nothing to do with a sword this size. But he let Asha dance around the slow blade a few times before rejecting it to Chiro.

Quan or sometimes Asha would reject a sword for two hours, and Chiro would have another ready to go. The pile of discarded swords grew to a preposterous size when Quan finally asked. "What is this about? You have never wasted so much time or materials on what sword to make."

"These are all fine swords. Each will find its way to someone that will use them well. But this is my true cultivation. I see your spirit, your ki, your talents even untrained and a sword from in my core. It is a step beyond the drawings I started with. Soon, all my great and personal works will be done like this."

"This is more about my path than it is finding you a weapon. No, it is the merging of the two. Making not just a weapon, but the right weapon for those that come to me." He handed Quan another sword, "Continue."

Hours later, when an exhausted Quan lay in the sparring yard where he fell, Chiro gave one final nod and walked back to the forge.

He gave orders that no one was to enter the forge for any reason while he worked.

Once alone, he walked to the back of the forge and pulled a heavy leather covering off of a chest that hadn't seen the light in nearly two decades. He sent a burst of his ki to unlock and disable the runic trap within. When he opened it, he saw the precious materials within. He pulled out a broken blade and stared at it for a long while before returning it. It wasn't right for today's job, but its time would come. He reached in and pulled out a heavy mass of metal. It had fallen from the sky nearly fifteen years ago. A Sect member had retrieved it from a smoking crater and given it to him. Until today he hadn't found the right sword to craft with it.

He looked at the ingredients before him. Besides the ore, he had tiger talons waiting to be used, what felt like a rested and recovered sword spirit, charcoal formed from a lightning blast. He felt them calling to him and each other. A harmony was being formed in his mind. But it wasn't quite right yet. He walked to the edge of the forge where his sons stood guard and sent one off. Minutes later, he returned with a carefully held bowl and a dark red liquid. Quan would be a part of this blade, bonded to him and borne of his demands. Finally, he pulled out a couple of bags of powdered gems. He mixed powdered diamonds and sapphires.

He paused to meditate and feel the Ki as it danced between the items and himself.

He heated the smelter to its max, then began to add Ki to bolster its ability and heated it further. He placed the metal within and let it meltdown when he could skim the impurities off the top. He opened the vessel containing the sword spirit and held it over the molten metal, and poured. A silver stream of liquid poured out. Wisps of red and blue spun up as the spiritual liquid joined the metal. Whoever bound this spirit knew their craft well, and it smoothly joined the metal, but as it did, it began drawing Ki rapidly from Chiro to meet its needs. He quickly added the tiger claws. Instead of burning, they liquefied as their essence was added to the alloy. Next, he poured the dark red blood into the metal. Slowly and carefully, as he didn't want the sudden element to explode in chaos, finally he added just a pinch of the powdered gems.

Once it settled, he poured it into a mold for a new ingot.

His instincts told him this sword needed to be pounded into shape. Only the strike of a hammer could pull out its true form. He set it on the anvil, and with his largest hammer, he began moulding it into the vision he had in his head. The blade lengthened till just over four feet. He worked the metal with steady swings as it drew ki from him with every blow. The spirit was waking up as it was forged, reaching out to what it was being forced into. Feeling the desires and dreams that had resulted in its creation, touching the bonded blood in the blade as it helped Chiro find its best form. Yet, it also brought with it an ancient past from its previous forms.

It had a very slight curved edge that would be sharpened later, and a tipped end allowed for quick stabs. The backside of the blade's curve would be sharpened for slicing backswings where it met the final two-thirds, becoming just a bit thicker and meant to be the blocking edge of the weapon. Finally, he put down the hammer and quenched the finished blade in a barrel of oil he had waiting.

After a short break to drink and regain some KI, he pulled the blade out of the oil and began tempering the blade. As he did, he would gently pour the gem mixture over the hot blade. The blade absorbed the diamond and sapphire dust. He pulled out a tool and began carving runes onto the blade. When he was done, twelve runes, six to a side, adorned the blade.

He crafted a handguard for it. Simple yet effective at saving his hand, but without any overt cage holding his hand in place, allowing him to spin the sword quickly and easily as needed. He swung it twice and knew he had created a masterwork for the ages. He walked out to Quan, who had been waiting anxiously, and handed him the blade.

Quan held the blade in his hands. He admired the steel blade with a touch of blue as he held it up for inspection. Dark runes ran up its flat sides, and as he held it, one rune, the closest to the hilt, glowed, and lightning danced along the edge of the blade.

“This is magnificent. You forged a wonder for me.” Quan breathed in awe.

Chiro shook his head. He appeared changed somehow by the forging of this weapon. “I did not truly forge her. There was a hole in the universe where this blade was meant to be. I was merely the tool used to fill in that hole. She has not revealed to me her true or full name. That you must learn on your own. But I give you Stormcutter. I pray you are able to master her power, for I have bound her to you. I pray you are far, far away when you find the need to use it.”