Weapon Forge, Underground Armory.
"How does the blade feel?" Yang Kai suddenly asked.
Jiang Ning held the spirit weapon in his hand and casually swung it a few times.
Then he said, "As Manager Yang said, this blade has survived since ancient times and remains indestructible. Its material must be extraordinary! Although it doesn't show any special properties now, its indestructibility alone makes it a truly excellent blade!"
"I like it!"
Yang Kai asked again, "If you had to choose between 'Cold Light' and this spirit weapon, which would you pick?"
Jiang Ning smiled and answered without hesitation, "I would naturally choose this spirit weapon!"
"Fair enough," Yang Kai nodded, not at all surprised.
Even he would make the same choice.
Although "Cold Light" was a fine blade and one of his masterpieces, it couldn't compare to the value of an ancient spirit weapon.
Jiang Ning added, "Manager Yang, would you be willing to sell this spirit weapon? If so, how much would it cost?"
Yang Kai replied, "As I said, the items here aren't measured in money. So what I need isn't money."
"Then what do you need?" Jiang Ning asked again.
Yang Kai spoke seriously, "Just a favor! A favor from you in the future!"
Jiang Ning was slightly surprised.
"Manager Yang, do you have such high hopes for me? You're just giving me a spirit weapon like this?"
Yang Kai nodded. "Shen Congyun saw potential in you, so our Weapon Forge naturally trusts his judgment. This spirit weapon has been gathering dust in the armory for decades, serving no purpose."
"To us, it's just a useless relic."
"But in your hands, it can be put to use! In the future, it will surely make a name for itself."
"Trading what we see as a useless relic for a future favor from you feels like a good deal to me!"
Hearing this, Jiang Ning sheathed the blade with a "swish"
"Since Manager Yang has such high hopes for me, then if the Weapon Forge ever needs my help in the future, just ask. As long as I can do it, I'll do my best!"
"With your word, I feel reassured!" Yang Kai chuckled.
After leaving the Weapon Forge.
Jiang Ning looked at the spirit weapon in his hand, feeling extremely pleased.
This trip had not only fulfilled his need for a good blade but had also brought him an unexpected gain.
A spirit weapon an ancient spirit weapon, as Yang Kai called it.
This gain was completely unexpected and exceeded his expectations.
All he had given in return was a verbal promise a future favor.
Yang Kai had essentially drawn a pie and eaten it himself.
In Jiang Ning's view, he had made a huge profit.
A spirit weapon that could be used by him was invaluable.
And now, he had obtained it with just a verbal promise.
No matter how Yang Kai saw it, Jiang Ning felt he had come out on top.
At this moment, even while holding the scabbard, Jiang Ning could faintly sense the spirit within the blade.
This spirit was extremely weak, but he could feel it.
It was this spirit's call that had led him to find this long-dormant spirit weapon in the underground armory.
"I wonder what the reason for this is!" Jiang Ning thought to himself.
Meanwhile, back at the Weapon Forge.
Yang Kai watched Jiang Ning's retreating figure and the pitch-black blade in his hand.
His eyes still showed a hint of lingering pain.
An ancient spirit weapon had been taken away by Jiang Ning.
Even if this spirit weapon was useless, it was still a spirit weapon.
If put up for auction, such a relic could fetch thousands of taels of silver.
That was the value of an ancient spirit weapon.
Moreover, after Jiang Ning had drawn the blade, the value of this spirit weapon had skyrocketed.
A spirit weapon that could be used was priceless, worth more than gold.
If anyone could use it, Yang Kai wouldn't have chosen to give it to Jiang Ning, no matter how talented he was.
But after testing it himself, he knew that wasn't the case.
The spirit weapon had a spirit, and only Jiang Ning could draw the blade.
No matter how much force Yang Kai applied, the blade remained immovable, just as before.
Thus, the value of the spirit weapon hadn't changed much.
If not used by Jiang Ning, it would just continue gathering dust in the armory.
Over the decades, countless people have tried to draw the blade, but all have failed, just like Yang Kai.
Only Jiang Ning had succeeded.
Who knew how long it would take to find someone else who could do the same?
So Yang Kai knew that this spirit weapon would only realize its true value in Jiang Ning's hands.
This way, it could be put to use, and he could earn a favor from Jiang Ning.
In Yang Kai's view, this favor might not seem valuable now.
But given Jiang Ning's rapid progress, the events surrounding him, and the fact that the spirit weapon had chosen him, Yang Kai was certain that Jiang Ning's future was limitless.
This favor might one day prove to be incredibly valuable.
That was why he had made this decision.
Meanwhile, at the top of Wanhua Tower.
In a luxurious room.
"Jia'er, what do you think of him?" Lin Qingyi reclined on a couch wrapped in fox fur.
Lin Jia'er said, "As Auntie said, he is quite handsome. The martial arts academy in Dongling City is filled with disciples from prominent families, all of high status and wealth."
"But few can match his appearance."
"What else?" Lin Qingyi propped her head up and asked.
Lin Jia'er continued, "As for his martial arts, he's not bad either! The person he fought today had just reached the ninth rank of martial arts. In a small place like this, that person could be considered a genius."
"For him to defeat that person so easily, he must be quite remarkable in this small place. No wonder Auntie thinks so highly of him."
Hearing Lin Jia'er's words, Lin Qingyi couldn't help but frown slightly.
Although Lin Jia'er was praising Jiang Ning, there was an undertone in her words that made Lin Qingyi uncomfortable.
"Small place... quite remarkable... no wonder... thinks highly of him..."
Lin Qingyi's brow relaxed slightly as she thought to herself, "Forget it!"
"This girl, like me, comes from the Lin family in Dongling City. Over the years, with my help, the Lin family has become one of the top families in Dongling City."
"It's natural for her to feel a bit proud."
With this in mind, her frown completely disappeared.
Then Lin Qingyi said, "How about I arrange a meeting for you two? What do you think?"
Lin Jia'er hesitated for a moment, then nodded.
"Jia'er will follow Auntie's arrangements."
"Good!" Lin Qingyi smiled. "Then in the next few days, I'll arrange for you two to meet and have a good chat. If you both feel the same way, we can set a date for the wedding."
"Mm-hmm!" Lin Jia'er nodded, then seemed to remember something.
"Auntie, which prominent family in Luoshui County does that Jiang Ning come from?"
Lin Qingyi shook her head. "His background is quite ordinary, or rather, quite poor. His parents were refugees. Sixteen years ago, they became refugees due to the Red Dragon's upheaval and came to Luoshui County. But before they could enter the city, they died on the road."
"So he grew up without parents, raised by his older brother."
Then Lin Qingyi added, "I have detailed records of Jiang Ning's background. You can take a look later. This kid has great potential. From what I've seen over this period, he's a good match."
By the Luoshui River.
When Jiang Ning returned home, he saw Little Doubao rolling around in a mud puddle.
"Uncle" Little Doubao saw Jiang Ning and immediately stood up.
"Uncle"
"Hug"
She spread her arms and ran toward Jiang Ning.
"Stop!" Jiang Ning quickly reached out and held her head.
"Does Uncle not like Doubao anymore?" Little Doubao's eyes instantly filled with tears.
Jiang Ning: "..."
Then, he sighed softly, picked up Little Doubao, and carried her to the small pond in the front yard.
The front yard of this mansion had a small bridge, flowing water, rockeries, and bamboo groves.
This was one of the reasons Jiang Ning had chosen this place.
In his previous life, he couldn't afford such a luxurious estate. In this life, he wanted to fulfill his desires.
When he bought this mansion, he felt immensely satisfied.
With this mansion, he had a home.
A home of his own.
Coming from a civilization that valued home and family, Jiang Ning felt a deep sense of security in having his own home.
By the pond.
"No!"
"No!!"
Little Doubao struggled in Jiang Ning's arms.
"I heard from Brother that pigs roll in mud to avoid mosquito bites. Doubao is a little pig now, so she needs to roll in the mud too!!!"
Jiang Ning placed her in the shallow pond, where clear water flowed in from one side and out the other.
The bottom of the pond was paved with smooth pebbles, making the water exceptionally clear.
After placing Little Doubao in the pond, Jiang Ning gently tapped her head.
"You're not a pig, you little rascal!"
"Ouch!!!" Little Doubao covered her head with both hands, pouting and on the verge of tears. "I am a little pig!!"
A moment later, Jiang Ning cleaned off the mud from Little Doubao and brought her to Liu Wanwan, who was tending to the vegetable garden.
Only then did he feel at ease and head to his eastern courtyard.
After Jiang Ning left the garden, Liu Wanwan pulled out a half-eaten cucumber from behind her.
"Crunch"
She took another bite, her eyes narrowing in happiness.
Eastern Courtyard.
Jiang Ning returned to his room and saw the wooden box on the table.
Opening the box, he saw rows of neatly arranged white jade bottles.
These bottles contained the Herbal Essence he had purchased from Wanhua Tower earlier that day.
Jiang Ning quickly counted them and nodded in satisfaction.
"Good!"
"Exactly forty bottles, not one more, not one less."
"With these forty bottles, I won't need to go out for the next few days."
"I can wait peacefully for the establishment of the Imperial Inspection Bureau."
"From Tian Buyi's attack on me, it's clear that the Cao family's attitude toward me hasn't changed. They've just shifted from open hostility to covert actions."
"But then again, as I've started to make a name for myself, it's only natural for the Cao family, who have a grudge against me, to try to prevent me from growing stronger."
"Right now, I'm no match for the Cao family. Whether it's the Cao family in Luoshui County or Cao Rong in Dongling City, they could pose a fatal threat to me. I desperately need the protection of an official institution like the Imperial Inspection Bureau."
Thinking this, Jiang Ning didn't regret his earlier decision to showcase his abilities.
Admittedly, if he had chosen to act cautiously and keep a low profile, he would have attracted less attention.
But he would also have missed out on many benefits.
By showcasing part of his abilities, he had gained many advantages.
Previously, Wang Jin had helped him because he had demonstrated his value.
So Jiang Ning had no regrets, even though it had led to Tian Buyi's assassination attempt.
Thanks to those benefits, he had grown rapidly, and his strength was now far beyond what it had been.
This approach had its drawbacks, but the advantages outweighed them.
In Jiang Ning's view, the benefits far exceeded the risks.
Moreover, he hadn't revealed everything about himself.
If others thought his combat power was at level five, his actual strength was above level ten.
This difference was Jiang Ning's margin of safety.
Always keeping a hidden card up his sleeve allowed him to avoid being schemed against.
Just like Tian Buyi's attack on him.
Unless someone had witnessed it, who would have thought that Jiang Ning had killed Tian Buyi?
This was Jiang Ning's confidence his confidence in staying alive.
In Jiang Ning's view, with his current strength, even if an ordinary eighth-rank martial artist tried to assassinate him, the outcome would be uncertain.
Even a top-tier eighth-rank expert, with three thousand pounds of strength and the ability to unleash tens of thousands of pounds of force, would find it nearly impossible to kill him.
Especially near water. Once he entered the water, it would be like a fish returning to the sea. Even seventh or sixth-rank martial artists wouldn't be able to do anything to him.
It was this confidence that had allowed Jiang Ning to reveal part of his strength during Xiao Peng's surprise attack, gaining greater attention and benefits from the influential figures.
He knew that as long as he demonstrated his strength and value, many people would be willing to show him goodwill and invest in him for future returns.
This approach worked in any world.
Especially in a world where personal strength determined one's status and influence. The returns on such investments would be even greater.
Just like Yang Kai's attitude toward him and the spirit weapon in his hand.
If he hadn't showcased his abilities earlier, how could he have obtained an ancient spirit weapon for free?
Looking at the spirit weapon in his hand, Jiang Ning couldn't help but smile.
"Blood binding and blood refinement."
Thinking of the eight words he had received in the underground armory, Jiang Ning thought to himself, "Let's give it a try."
Having made up his mind, he closed the wooden box and carried the blade outside.
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