Chapter 273 - 273 The Exhibition Begins
273 The Exhibition Begins
The leaders who had been invited also took their seats.
More than half of the audience seats that could accommodate thousands of people were already filled at this moment.
Looking at the Nine Provinces’ flag slowly rising at the center of the exhibition hall, everyone’s heart was shrouded in a layer of solemness.
‘The annual exhibition has begun. Time really flies.’
Looking at the flag that fluttered and glistened in the air despite the lack of wind, Song Yi’s heart was filled with emotions, and memories of the past flashed through his eyes.
He rubbed the armrest of his seat with his dry hands, and his thoughts drifted far away.
On the other side, the Hunter Bureau’s director, Bai Li, was sitting not far from the exhibition stage. He and Chu Li were talking about something.
“Do you think Wu Mo will win first place in the exhibition?” Bai Li looked at the flag and said with a smile.
“Of course. There’s no young blacksmith more dazzling than Wu Mo even in the entire capital, let alone those backward prefecture-level cities. Wu Mo will definitely reign supreme in this exhibition,” Chu Li replied expressionlessly.
Bai Li could not help but raise his eyebrows when he saw how confident Chu Li was in Wu Mo.
“Tsk tsk, some time ago, didn’t someone in the Red Heart province forge a one-piece armor that could fly at a low altitude? Perhaps our White River province also has a similar young genius.”
“Oh.”
Chu Li did not argue with him. Even if someone from the Red Heart province had developed a one-piece armor, in his opinion, they would still not be as skilled as Wu Mo.
Wu Mo was bound to be the champion during this exhibition.
To him, it was inevitable. Bai Li was arguing about it was because he was looking forward to this exhibition being as exciting as the previous years.
Moreover, Bai Li was not the only one in the audience who had such thoughts.
Many leaders had not revealed their talents. At this moment, they were all looking forward to what kind of excellent equipment would be displayed in the exhibition.
After all, most of the leaders from the military were high-ranking cultivators. They could only sit in such positions and manage the army better if they were strong enough.
Only a small number of leaders were blacksmiths. Those high-level blacksmiths often had strong spiritual power, so they could deal with unexpected situations at will and provide better insights as well as strategies.
Therefore, it was often times not suitable for them to charge into battle on the front lines.
However, since these leaders were blacksmiths themselves, they had profound vision, so they did not have much anticipation for the upcoming exhibition.
After all, no matter how talented one was, one’s understanding of the field of forging was still shallow before the age of 30.
However, the exhibition that was about to be held was very new to the cultivators, and it excited them.
After all, while one’s own strength had a great impact in battle, the growth brought about by equipment could not be ignored either. A good piece of equipment was equivalent to adding wings to a tiger. It could even help one cross ranks and kill more powerful beasts or enemies.
Of course, equipment that could achieve such an effect was extremely rare.
However, that did not stop the cultivators from liking Divine weapons and armor. To most cultivators, a weapon that they could use was as precious as their life.
Chu Li’s gaze was unfocused. He raised his head and suddenly noticed that there was a two-story building in the corner of the exhibition site. The two-story building was made up of six private rooms with floor-to-ceiling windows, and it looked highly advanced.
Through the gray glass, he seemed to see some human figures flashing inside.
“There’s actually someone there!” he said subconsciously.
Bai Li, who was standing at the side, did not seem surprised at all. “I noticed it as soon as I entered. The seat over there is specially reserved for Chairman Lu. You can see the entire exhibition at a glance. It gives access to more than what we can see,” he said.
“Oh,” Chu Li responded.
“I hereby officiate the launch of the White River province’s annual exhibition!”
At this time, the highest leader in charge announced the start of the exhibition on the stage.
The entire venue was instantly in an uproar.
Many blacksmiths who had attended the exhibition to display their works were excited. They wanted to go on stage immediately to introduce their carefully made works to everyone present.
They wanted everyone to remember their name.
There were also some contestants who had their eyes on the golden trophy on the stage. Their eyes were full of ambition, and they vowed to take it.
Whether it was to show off their work or to win the hall’s applause, or stand out and be famous in the Nine Provinces, or have great ambitions to change the world…
In any case, their ultimate goal was to make a name for themselves in this exhibition.
Although it had been clearly stated that this week’s exhibition was not a competition but only a stage for outstanding blacksmiths to show and exchange their experiences, everyone still hoped that they could perform better in front of the many leaders.
Looking at the excited crowd on the first floor, Lu Yuansheng, who was sitting in a private room on the second floor, also had a look of anticipation.
The nation would be strong if the youth were strong, and the country would be weak if the youth were weak. The annual exhibition was a very direct representation of White River’s development in the forging industry.
He had personally attended the exhibition because it was that important.
Looking at the young blacksmiths who were so worked up that they could not wait to go on stage, he felt as if he had found the vitality and youth that he had lost for many years.
“I hope to see some good seeds this time. When I attend the Nine Provinces’ exchange conference, I’ll be able to straighten my back.”
He tapped his fingers on the table and looked at the first blacksmith on the stage.
Right then, the entire place was silent. Everyone looked expectantly at the blacksmith who had already stood on the exhibition stage.
Wu Mo, who was sitting in the third row on the lower right, was also looking forward to it. He had been in the Fifth Research Department for a long time, but he had never seen the products of other blacksmiths. He did not know the average level of blacksmiths in the Research Department at his age either.
Now that he finally had the opportunity to observe, Wu Mo would take it seriously.
The young blacksmith who had walked up the stage was wearing a dark green robe with five stars drawn on his chest. He seemed to be under 30 years old.
He was standing straight, and he was tall with a handsome face. He was holding a saber with nine rings in his hand, and it was gleaming with a cold light!
The long blade was shiny and had a total length of more than one meter. The blade was sharp, and the back of it was embedded with nine iron rings. Whenever one waved it, there would be clanging noises.
Looking at the confident look on the young man’s face, Wu Mo shook his head in disapproval.
Those who were invited to the exhibition were all elite blacksmiths from the White River province. Moreover, they were all young talents working in the Research Department and under the military.