Chapter 131: The Gift of the Heroic Blade

Chapter 131: The Gift of the Heroic Blade

Xiao Peng stood before the blacksmith shop. Located in the southern outer city, the clanging sounds of blacksmithing filled the air as Jiang Ning approached.

The blacksmith shop was spacious, with a wide entrance, and from the doorway, one could hear the various sounds of forging and striking iron coming from the backyard.

Jiang Ning had some knowledge about the blacksmith shop. As far as he knew, whether it was the standard long swords used by the government's law enforcement officers or the standard weapons of the city gate officials, they all came from this very shop.

Thus, the blacksmith shop employed quite a few people. Many ordinary families, in hopes of giving their children a skill to earn a living, would often sell their children to the blacksmith shop as servants when they reached the age of twelve or thirteen.

After three years of odd jobs and three years of apprenticeship, they would finally be allowed to learn the craft.

This was the normal path for a qualified blacksmith to grow.

With a constant influx of young people joining, the blacksmith shop naturally expanded its operations.

Moreover, joining the blacksmith shop also provided an opportunity for ordinary families to learn martial arts.

If one had good martial talent, they would receive cultivation from the blacksmith shop.

This was another path to success.

Even though it required selling oneself to the blacksmith shop for a few years, it still held great appeal for ordinary families.

At this moment, Jiang Ning arrived at the blacksmith shop, and there was a constant flow of people coming and going.

It was much livelier than the entrance of the Wan Hua Tower.

Ordinary people also needed to purchase various iron tools, whether it was a sickle, an axe, or even a small firewood cleaving blade; the blacksmith shop sold them all.

As Jiang Ning entered the blacksmith shop, a young servant boy noticed him and approached.

Having worked here for a long time, he could tell which customers had the means to spend.

Jiang Ning, holding his sword and walking with a steady gait, had a gleam in his eyes.

It was clear that he was a martial artist.

In the eyes of the young servant boy, martial artists always had good spending power.

Without a certain level of wealth, it was difficult for ordinary people to practice martial arts.

Years of martial arts training required not only various medicinal supplements but also a significant amount of meat and poultry.

Ordinary families could only afford meat on special occasions like festivals.

How could one practice martial arts under such circumstances? Without proper nutrition, the body would weaken after just three to five months of training.

For this reason, in the eyes of the young servant boy, anyone who practiced martial arts must have a good financial background.

The boy led Jiang Ning to the weapon rack, saying, "Sir, I don't know what kind of weapon you're looking for in our shop, but we have plenty of good ones that will surely satisfy you."

Jiang Ning replied, "I need a good, handy sword."

The boy's face lit up with pride. "When it comes to good swords, we have plenty in our shop. Sir, you'll definitely find what you're looking for."

Then he added, "Sir, please follow me!"

"Okay," Jiang Ning nodded.

They walked over to the weapon rack.

"Sir, please try these swords. They are all forged from the finest iron, with blades so sharp they can cut through hair and skin."

Jiang Ning casually picked up a long sword.

With a swift motion, he drew the sword from its sheath.

Then, with another "swish," he sheathed the sword.

"Too light!" Jiang Ning shook his head. "These must be below the hundred-forged level!"

"Sir, you have a keen eye!" The boy nodded repeatedly. "These are all hundred-forged swords meticulously crafted by our masters."

Jiang Ning shook his head. "Don't waste time. Hundred-forged swords are too light for me; they're meaningless. Show me better swords."

Hearing this, a look of surprise flashed in the eyes of the boy dressed as a servant.

As someone from the blacksmith shop, he naturally knew a lot about weapons.

Even hundred-forged swords could be of great use to beginners in the ninth stage of martial arts.

But the young man before him, who looked to be around eighteen or nineteen years old, claimed that hundred-forged swords were a waste of time.

They were all too light.

What kind of strength did he possess?

The boy, dressed as a servant, couldn't help but wonder.

Then, he said, "Alright, sir, follow me."

Leading Jiang Ning to the neighboring shop, the sound of blacksmithing became even louder.

"Sir, take a look at these weapons. They are all made from iron forged three to five hundred times."

Jiang Ning's interest was piqued.

He casually grabbed a long sword from the weapon rack.

As he held the sword, he clearly sensed its size and weight.

It was four feet three inches long and weighed fifty-three pounds.

Jiang Ning swiftly drew the sword from its sheath.

"Swish—"

A cold light flashed within the room.

Jiang Ning waved the sword.

In an instant, the room filled with sword light, and a strong wind seemed to materialize out of thin air.

The young servant, witnessing this, was startled and took a few steps back.

His heart was filled with surprise.

The sword in Jiang Ning's hand was forged five hundred and thirty-seven times, making it one of the highest-quality weapons in this place.

In the collection of swords and blades here, this particular blade is also one of the heaviest weapons.

Weighing a hefty fifty-three jin.

Only a strong martial artist in the Eighth Rank Divine Strength Realm could wield such a heavy weapon with ease.

However, even for such a powerful warrior, wielding a long blade of this weight would still be challenging for prolonged combat.

Moreover, while the blade technique emphasizes a domineering and relentless style, it primarily focuses on skill rather than brute force, rarely relying on overpowering opponents through sheer strength.

When it comes to raw power, those with exceptional strength often opt for other types of heavy weapons, such as staffs, hammers, or spears.

Despite its exceptional quality, this blade has remained unsold in the blacksmith shop for many years.

After reaching the Ninth Stage Martial Dao, each step forward becomes a significant hurdle.

It's extremely challenging to toughen the skin to the hardness of stone, let alone copper.

Each advancement is substantial, making every step difficult. Ordinary individuals need to dedicate a water-grinding level of effort to achieve these milestones.

Consequently, there are not many Eighth Rank Divine Strength Realm practitioners in Luoshui County.

Those who use blades are even fewer.

Not to mention a blade as heavy as this one.

After a few breaths, Jiang Ning paused his blade testing.

His face remained calm and composed, and the fifty-three-jin long blade in his hand seemed weightless.

He lifted the blade a few times, feeling its heft.

Then, he shook his head silently.

"Fifty-three jin, for a normal Eighth Rank Martial Dao practitioner with around fifteen hundred jin of strength, this is indeed manageable and quite handy."

"After all, if it were any heavier, the physical exertion would be too great, and even an average Eighth Rank Divine Strength Realm practitioner would feel the strain."

"But I'm different. I'm not afraid of prolonged battles, and my style is to decide the outcome with a few strikes. So, the heavier the blade, the better for me."

"Moreover, my strength is improving rapidly. It won't be long before I break through the two-thousand and three-thousand jin barriers."

At this thought, Jiang Ning sheathed his blade.

Then he spoke, "Do you have any heavier blades?"

"Isn't this one heavy enough?" The servant asked, his face showing surprise.

Jiang Ning shook his head slightly, "Not heavy enough! It's still a bit light. Ideally, I'd like something twice as heavy, or even heavier."

Hearing this, the servant's expression turned to horror as he looked at Jiang Ning.

Among martial artists, the strength one possesses is often indicative of their overall prowess.

Generally, those with a thousand jin of strength would use blades and swords weighing around thirty to forty jin in actual combat.

Any heavier, and it becomes cumbersome, leading to clumsiness and significant energy consumption.

Yet, this five-hundred-and-thirty-forged treasure blade weighs a staggering fifty-three jin.

Even an Eighth Rank Divine Strength Realm practitioner would not consider this blade light.

But Jiang Ning, at this moment, claims that the blade is still too light.

This statement startles the servant.

He understands the implications of Jiang Ning's words.

Moreover, Jiang Ning had just demonstrated his ability to wield the blade with ease, proving that he wasn't boasting.

"Could he be a powerful Eighth Rank Divine Strength Realm practitioner?"

The servant swallowed hard, then said, "Please wait a moment, sir. The blade you're holding is already the heaviest one we have here."

"If you want a better blade, I don't have the authority to provide it. I'll need to consult the shop owner first."

Hearing this, Jiang Ning nodded, "No problem, go ahead!"

"Yes, sir!" The servant bowed and hurried off.

Jiang Ning returned the long blade to the weapon rack and casually tested a few nearby blades.

After swinging them, he realized that the previous blade was indeed the heaviest.

The remaining blades he tried were much lighter, with the heaviest barely exceeding fifty jin.

Most of them weighed only twenty to thirty jin, a weight that even a Ninth Stage Martial Dao practitioner would find extremely manageable, perhaps even a bit cumbersome.

Subsequently, Jiang Ning approached the heavy weapon display rack.

He picked up a pair of giant hammers and couldn't help but whistle.

"So heavy!"

"They must weigh around one hundred and fifty jin."

"What kind of terrifying power would be unleashed with a single strike?"

"An ordinary person would probably turn into mincemeat!"

In an instant, he held the hammers with both hands and began to swing them.

Whoosh!

The room was filled with a howling wind, like the wails of ghosts and wolves.

A strong gust of wind stirred within the room.

At the same time, a tall man, over two meters in height, with muscles like iron blocks and skin as dark as charcoal, entered the room.

He walked while wiping his hands with a towel.

Then, he noticed Jiang Ning swinging the hammers.

A flash of astonishment crossed his eyes.

"This strength... It's around fifteen hundred jin!!!"

"When did Luoshui County produce such a young prodigy!!!"

The servant, closely following the tall man, witnessed this scene and was as if he had seen a ghost.

At that moment, Jiang Ning became aware of their presence and stopped his movements.

"So invigorating!"

Feeling his body warming up, his blood flowing faster, and a light sweat forming on his forehead, Jiang Ning felt an exhilarating sensation.

"I am Yang Kai, the assistant manager of the Blacksmith Shop." The towering, two-meter-tall man spoke up after seeing Jiang Ning pause from his hammer practice.

He then asked, "Where are you from, young man?"

Jiang Ning was slightly surprised by the question.

He knew a little about Yang Kai.

Yang Kai was an Eighth Rank Martial Dao expert.

Moreover, he was the assistant manager of the Blacksmith Shop.

With both strength and status, he was a prominent figure in Luoshui County, wielding considerable influence.

Jiang Ning introduced himself, "Jiang Ning, a disciple of the Canglang Martial Academy."

"Jiang Ning?" The tall man was taken aback, his face showing surprise. "So, you're Jiang Ning?"

"Does Shopkeeper Yang know me?" Jiang Ning asked curiously.

Yang Kai chuckled, "It's hard for me not to have heard of your name. After all, Lord Shen was transferred out of Luoshui County because of you."

Then, Yang Kai looked at Jiang Ning and sighed, "No wonder that Lord Shen was willing to stand up against the Cao family for you. Your talent is truly frightening!"

"Shopkeeper Yang is too kind. I just have a bit of strength," Jiang Ning replied.

As he spoke, Jiang Ning carefully placed the two large hammers he was holding.

Yang Kai gave Jiang Ning a thorough once-over, noticing that his face didn't flush, his heart didn't race, and he wasn't out of breath.

"No wonder you felt that blade was still too light. Youth is indeed wonderful, and so is stamina!" Yang Kai exclaimed.

"Shopkeeper Yang, do you have any better blades here?" Jiang Ning asked.

At this, Yang Kai couldn't help but smile.

He then proudly said, "Of course we do! But those blades aren't something that can be measured by money."

"What do they require?" Jiang Ning inquired.

"As the saying goes, 'A precious blade is a gift to a hero, and its owner should not disgrace it,'" Yang Kai replied.

"Am I considered a hero?" Jiang Ning asked.

Yang Kai gave Jiang Ning a once-over. "Let's say you are for now."

Then he said, "Follow me."

Yang Kai walked towards the wall.

He pushed a seemingly ordinary brick on the wall.

A deep rumbling sound filled the air, and a thick granite brick slowly popped out.

There was a noticeable indentation on the granite brick.

Yang Kai took out a token from his body and placed it in the indentation, then pressed it down with force.

Another rumble shook the ground.

A hidden passageway slowly opened up, revealing a dark tunnel.

"This is where we keep our truly valuable items," Yang Kai said.

"In my lifetime, I've forged ten pieces that I'm very satisfied with, and they're all stored down there."

As he spoke, Yang Kai descended the stairs, slowly entering the tunnel.

His figure disappeared into the darkness.

Boom!

Boom!

Boom!

The sound of fire crackled.

The dark tunnel was suddenly illuminated by the flames.

"Are you brave enough to come in?" Yang Kai called out.

Jiang Ning gripped the long sword in his hand and smiled.

"There's nothing to be afraid of."

As he spoke, he stepped down the first stair.

Jiang Ning didn't feel much fear towards Yang Kai.

Even if Yang Kai harbored ill intentions after entering the tunnel, Jiang Ning wasn't intimidated.

He knew Yang Kai's strength.

Yang Kai was just an ordinary Eighth Rank Divine Strength Realm expert.

An ordinary Eighth Rank Divine Strength Realm expert's power was around 1,500 jin.

Not much different from his own.

Even if Yang Kai was hiding some of his strength, he could have at most 2,000 jin of force.

With his current skills, Jiang Ning could easily defeat a 2,000-jin force with his sword.

In Jiang Ning's opinion, the real threat to him would be an elite expert in the Eighth Rank Divine Strength Realm.

An elite expert with around 3,000 jin of force.

Such experts had more than twice his strength,

Combined with their bronze-like skin and robust physique, they could pose a significant threat.

Otherwise, with his current strength, even if he faced someone like Tian Bu Yi,

Jiang Ning was confident he could fight on even ground, and the outcome would be uncertain.

His strength was far beyond what it used to be.

Not only had his power increased by 300 to 400 jin,

but he had also broken through the limits with the Five Beasts Fist.

He had mastered the blade technique after breaking through four times.

With the support of the technique, it was a genuine qualitative change.

In Jiang Ning's opinion, if he faced himself from the battle with Tian Bu Yi,

He would have a definite advantage.

His progress was indeed rapid.

Then, seeing Jiang Ning step into the tunnel,

Yang Kai led the way, and the two of them ventured deeper into the tunnel.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end