Weapon Forge.
After walking a few dozen steps, the space suddenly opened up.
The underground armory of the Weapon Forge was filled with racks and walls lined with cold, gleaming weapons.
Under the flickering light of the flames, the blades reflected countless glimmers of cold light.
"Kid, what do you think? This is the accumulation and heritage of the Weapon Forge over the years," Yang Kai said with pride.
Then he continued, "Over the years, every guest who has come here has been extraordinary! And every guest who has come here has left with something valuable."
Jiang Ning glanced around the room and immediately understood.
The truly good items of the Weapon Forge were all stored here.
The two shops above were just selling ordinary goods.
Then he asked, "Manager Yang, how much do these divine weapons cost?"
Yang Kai replied, "As I said earlier, the items here cannot be measured in money. Using money would be too vulgar!"
"Then what do you want?" Jiang Ning asked.
As for Yang Kai's earlier statement, Jiang Ning just smiled inwardly.
Yang Kai said, "Money is something we at the Weapon Forge don't lack. What we seek is fate!"
"Fate?" Jiang Ning chuckled, no longer paying attention to Yang Kai's mystical talk.
Then he said, "Since Manager Yang brought me down here, it's not just to let me take a quick look, right? How about introducing me to some of these treasures?"
"Of course!" Yang Kai laughed.
He then walked over to a nearby wall and took down a precious blade.
"Clang"
As he drew the blade, a clear, resonant sound echoed through the room.
At the same time, a cold light filled the space, as if invisible blades were permeating every corner. Jiang Ning felt the hairs on his body stand on end.
"What a blade!!"
Jiang Ning's eyes lit up, and he inwardly praised the weapon.
The fact that it made his hair stand on end was a natural reaction of his body.
This indicated that the blade was truly extraordinary.
Yang Kai said, "This blade is called 'Cold Light.' It's three feet nine inches long, three and a third inches wide, and weighs one hundred and fifty-three pounds."
"It was forged by me personally using thousand-fold refined iron. Even a seventh-rank martial artist would find it perfectly suited to their needs."
"As for ordinary eighth-rank martial artists, it would be difficult for them to wield this blade smoothly. It might even become a burden."
After saying this, Yang Kai sheathed the blade and tossed it to Jiang Ning.
"Give it a try," Yang Kai said.
Jiang Ning caught the blade and examined it.
On the hilt, he saw two characters engraved: "Cold Light."
He then felt the weight of the blade in his hand.
"It's indeed heavy," Jiang Ning thought to himself.
One hundred and fifty-three pounds this weight was about one-tenth of his current strength.
For someone with his level of strength, this weight would be difficult to handle smoothly.
The inertia generated by such a heavy blade would be terrifying.
Every time he swung the blade, it would consume a significant amount of stamina.
Even in a short battle, dozens or hundreds of strikes would be required.
In such a situation, stamina would be depleted quickly, and one's condition would rapidly deteriorate.
Therefore, most martial artists would not choose overly heavy weapons.
While a heavy weapon had its advantages, the disadvantages far outweighed them.
Unless one practiced both internal and external martial arts or had reached the fifth rank of martial arts, the Internal Strength Realm, where the internal organs were tempered and stamina was abundant, the drawbacks would be somewhat mitigated.
And Jiang Ning possessed these qualities.
Holding the blade in his hand, he felt quite satisfied.
Although the weight was slightly heavy for him now, it was manageable.
Moreover, he was still in a phase of rapid improvement. It wouldn't be long before he advanced further.
Then, he gripped the hilt and drew the blade.
"Clang"
A clear, resonant sound echoed through the room.
"Swish"
Jiang Ning swung the blade casually, and a cold light sliced through the air.
"What a blade!!"
Feeling the momentum of the strike, Jiang Ning praised it.
"Don't you think it's a bit too heavy?" Yang Kai asked.
Jiang Ning swung the blade a few more times, and cold lights flashed within three feet of him.
At the same time, he said, "It's a bit heavy, but it's manageable. I have some strength, and considering my future progress, I can't choose a blade that's too light."
"That's true," Yang Kai nodded, thinking about what he knew of Jiang Ning.
Then he said, "So, you're quite satisfied with this blade, huh?"
Jiang Ning nodded slightly and was about to speak when he suddenly felt the faint call in his heart grow stronger.
The direction of the call also became clearer.
It was coming from about two and a third meters to his left front.
Then, Jiang Ning said, "I'm quite satisfied, but I'd like to take a look at the others."
Yang Kai laughed heartily. "No problem, take your time! I'm in no hurry."
After seeing Jiang Ning's earlier strikes, Yang Kai's opinion of him had risen even higher.
Moreover, the blade Jiang Ning was holding was one Yang Kai had personally forged, so he knew its weight well.
One hundred and fifty-three pounds.
In his view, Jiang Ning's interest in this blade indicated that he was confident in wielding it.
From this, Yang Kai knew that Jiang Ning's strength was even greater than he had initially thought.
And given what he had heard about Jiang Ning, this young man was someone worth investing time and resources in.
After all, Jiang Ning had already proven himself by earning Shen Congyun's favor.
For the Weapon Forge, which had grown to its current size over the years, money was no longer a concern.
In this era, they understood that having enough money was sufficient.
Earning too much could bring trouble.
But connections, networks, and the goodwill of geniuses and strong individuals were invaluable.
The more geniuses and strong individuals they invested in, the greater the potential rewards in the future.
If the Weapon Forge ever faced difficulties, these individuals would come to their aid.
That was their greatest return.
At this moment, Jiang Ning followed the call in his heart to a weapon rack.
Now, he was also quite curious.
What was this sudden call and resonance in his heart?
Why had it appeared so abruptly?
Then, he bent down and picked up an ancient, dust-covered long sword from the bottom of the rack.
"Whoosh"
He blew on the scabbard, and a gust of wind sent the dust flying into the air.
The scabbard was pitch black, without any patterns or decorations, made of an unknown material.
The hilt was the same, simple and unadorned, also made of an unknown material.
Yang Kai, seeing this, was visibly surprised.
He walked over.
At the same time, Jiang Ning's voice reached his ears.
"Manager Yang, what's the story behind this blade?"
Yang Kai looked at Jiang Ning in surprise and asked, "Why did you suddenly notice this blade?"
Jiang Ning smiled slightly. "I was just curious. The fact that this blade is in this room shows that it's extraordinary. So why was it placed at the bottom of the rack, covered in dust?"
Yang Kai said, "You're right! This blade is indeed extraordinary."
"Oh?" Jiang Ning's face showed a hint of curiosity. "Manager Yang, could you tell me more about it?"
Jiang Ning was genuinely curious about the blade in his hand.
Holding it, the call in his heart grew stronger.
The resonance and call he had felt earlier undoubtedly came from this blade.
Yang Kai said, "It's a long story. This blade is a spirit weapon."
"A spirit weapon?" Jiang Ning was surprised. He had never heard of such a term.
Then he asked, "Manager Yang, what is a spirit weapon?"
Yang Kai explained, "A spirit weapon is a powerful weapon from the ancient era. It possesses a spirit, hence the name 'spirit weapon.' As the ancient era ended and the gods vanished, spirit weapons gradually decayed or fell into a deep slumber."
"In this state, a spirit weapon is no different from ordinary scrap metal."
"At most, it's a bit more durable. No matter how much you hack at it or forge it in intense heat, it won't be damaged."
"Moreover, because this blade has a spirit, no one has been able to draw it from its scabbard all these years. It's practically useless!"
"That's why it's been left here to gather dust."
At this point, Yang Kai's face showed a hint of regret. "It's a pity. The material used to forge this spirit weapon must be extraordinary. If I could use it, I'm confident I could create an even more exceptional weapon."
Hearing Yang Kai's words, Jiang Ning thought to himself, "How strange!"
"If that's the case, why do I feel a resonance with this blade? Why does it call out to me?"
Then, Jiang Ning gripped the hilt with his right hand.
Yang Kai, seeing this, couldn't help but smile.
Over the years, he had seen many people try to draw the blade after hearing his explanation.
But without exception, they all failed.
The blade seemed to be fused with its scabbard, unmovable no matter how much force was applied.
"Clang"
At that moment, a clear, resonant sound echoed through the room.
Then, a dragon's roar seemed to fill the space, reverberating endlessly.
Yang Kai's eyes widened like copper bells.
"This... this is impossible!!" he exclaimed, his mouth agape.
Compared to Yang Kai, Jiang Ning was equally shocked.
After hearing Yang Kai's explanation, he hadn't held much hope and had only tried drawing the blade out of curiosity.
But to his surprise, in the first moment of trying, the blade remained immovable, as steady as a mountain.
However, in the next moment, he felt the force flow smoothly, and the blade slid out effortlessly.
At this moment, as the blade left its scabbard, Jiang Ning felt a mental connection with the weapon.
The spirit weapon conveyed a message: "Drip blood to claim ownership, and refine it with your blood."
"How did you do that?" Yang Kai asked, suppressing his shock.
Jiang Ning pretended to be clueless and shook his head. "I'm not sure either!"
Then he added, "I just tried pulling it casually, and the blade came out."
"Casually pulling it, and it came out..." Hearing Jiang Ning's explanation, Yang Kai felt utterly speechless.
"You have no idea how many times I've tried!" Yang Kai thought to himself.
But he didn't doubt Jiang Ning's words.
This spirit weapon had been in the Weapon Forge for decades.
Over the years, they had tried countless times to draw it.
But without exception, they had all failed.
Yet now, in Jiang Ning's hands, the blade had undergone a completely different transformation.
It had been drawn.
Then, Yang Kai said, "Sheathe it and let me try. I want to see if I can draw it."
Jiang Ning nodded slightly. "Alright."
At this point, he had some preliminary thoughts.
The resonance and call he felt from the spirit weapon must have a reason.
It was undoubtedly due to some unique quality he possessed that others lacked.
Otherwise, why could he draw the blade when others couldn't?
If Yang Kai still couldn't draw the blade, it would further confirm Jiang Ning's suspicions.
Then, with a "swish"
Jiang Ning sheathed the blade, and the hilt and scabbard fit together seamlessly as if they were one.
Yang Kai took the spirit weapon from Jiang Ning and gripped the hilt with his right hand.
He took a deep breath.
"Whoosh"
He exhaled slowly.
In the next moment, Yang Kai exerted all his strength.
His already rock-like muscles tensed even more, resembling solid iron blocks.
Soon, Yang Kai's face turned red, then gradually took on a bluish tint.
"Ha"
He let out a loud shout, and his arms began to tremble slightly, showing that he had reached his limit.
After two more breaths, Yang Kai exhaled and gave up.
A look of disappointment appeared on his face.
No matter how hard he tried, the blade remained immovable, as if the hilt and scabbard were one.
"It seems you and this blade are fated," Yang Kai said to Jiang Ning.
After a moment of hesitation, he handed the spirit weapon to Jiang Ning.
As Jiang Ning took the blade, Yang Kai's eyes were filled with reluctance.
A spirit weapon was undoubtedly a precious item.
Giving such a treasure to someone else was undoubtedly painful.
But thinking about how the spirit weapon had been gathering dust for decades, Yang Kai gradually came to terms with it.
"Forget it! This thing has been useless here for so long. It's better to give it to this kid and earn his favor."
"This kid can draw the spirit weapon, so he must be special!"
"In the future, he might reach unimaginable heights!"
"Using something useless to earn the favor of a future powerhouse is a good deal!"
Yang Kai comforted himself repeatedly to ease the pain of parting with the blade.
At this moment, Jiang Ning took the spirit weapon from Yang Kai. Seeing what had just happened, he had a rough idea.
"The ability to draw this blade must be due to either my natural spiritual sensitivity or the unique traits I possess."
Thinking of these two points, his gaze fell on his status panel, specifically on one of his traits.
[Unity of Man and Blade]: Possesses an innate compatibility with blades. Any unfamiliar blade will feel perfectly suited in his hand.
"That must be the most likely reason!"
Jiang Ning thought to himself.
As his thoughts flowed, Jiang Ning gripped the hilt again and tried drawing the blade.
In an instant, the blade appeared before them.
Yang Kai, seeing this, couldn't help but show envy in his eyes.
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