Chapter 488: Thunder Slash War Blade

Chapter 488: Thunder Slash War Blade

Ji Xinghuo followed Cang Ya and sat atop Yunhailong's head. With a loud and excited roar, the dragon's body surged upwards into the clouds.

Four Dragon Guards swiftly followed behind.

Their dragons swam in the sea or flew nearby, always ready to support their masters.

Cang Ya glanced back and without elaborating, said, "The Seven-Tier Dragon Lord we are about to visit is named Yun Huoxiao. Lord Xiao is one of the top forgers in the Dynasty and also a master restorer. He will definitely be able to repair the Nirvana Dragon Armor."

"A Seven-Tier Dragon Lord?"

Ji Xinghuo's face showed hesitation.

"Of course, other restorers could repair the Nirvana Dragon Armor too, but they might not do as good a job as Lord Xiao. After all, it's an Apocalypse Two-Star equipment, and it's better to spend a little more for a perfect restoration." Cang Ya, thinking that he was worried about the cost, tried to reassure him.

Ji Xinghuo's concern, however, was not about the cost but the fact that the restorer was a Seven-Tier Dragon Lord.

In other words, a Herder Saint.

He had too many secrets, and before reaching the Herder Saint realm himself, he was reluctant to interact too much with such top powerhouses.

Even a brief conversation carried risks.

Cang Ya continued, "Elder Yun Huoxiao has been residing in the East Emperor Island for over three hundred years. His skills in forging and restoration are renowned throughout the Dynasty, and our Cang Dragon family has collaborated with him numerous times. He is highly trustworthy."

"Then let's request Elder Yun's help with the restoration." Ji Xinghuo nodded, no longer declining.

He suddenly turned his head, looking into the distance.

"What is it?" Cang Ya asked.

"We're being tailed," Ji Xinghuo retracted his gaze, "as expected, by someone from the Xu Kun family." He didn't bother them; as long as they kept their distance, they could fly however they wanted over the vast ocean without interfering with each other.

Cang Ya snorted softly, "The Xu Kun family won't dare to cause trouble on the East Emperor Island. As long as you stay with me, you'll be fine."

The East Emperor Island was the administrative and economic center of the Bibo Dragon Domain.

It was a gathering place for the strong and powerful.

Most importantly, the Bibo Dragon Emperor resided on the East Emperor Island, and even the Xu Kun Dragon King wouldn't dare act recklessly here.

Ji Xinghuo was very relieved to hear this.

A moment later.

Yunhailong flew towards the East Emperor Island and landed next to a large lake in the central region. The East Emperor Island, spanning 1.2 million square kilometers, had most of its area developed into the Cangming City, with urban areas covering the entire island, including the lake's vicinity.

However, even from the air, it was evident that the mansion by the lake was extraordinary. Spanning tens of thousands of square meters, it had a serene and tranquil environment, with only a few servants and guards in sight.

To own such a mansion on the East Emperor Island, one needed more than just wealth.

Electromagnetic induction detected the target.

It was a human-shaped magnetic field, with intensity and energy far surpassing that of ordinary people. It was like a super-high-temperature flame, containing a terrifyingly intense energy that made one's heart palpitate even from a slight leak.

A Herder Saint!

On the East Emperor Island, Ji Xinghuo's electromagnetic induction detected over ten Herder Saints, their presence shining like suns among the millions of people.

Some concealed their strength, suppressing their aura; some were extremely secretive, disguising themselves as ordinary anomalies, making them hard to discern; while others didn't bother to hide, standing out like lighthouses in the night.

This one belonged to the latter group.

Ji Xinghuo dared not pry further and retracted his electromagnetic induction, not daring to use the Macroscopic Eye either.

Yunhailong landed in the mansion, followed by the Dragon Guards. Several Cang Dragons swam along the river into the nearby lake, attracting the attention of the mansion's guards. A well-dressed True Dragon human beauty approached them.

"Miss Cang Ya, welcome back to the Forging Star Lake Mansion." Her face was warm, and she wore a bright smile.

Cang Ya landed on the ground and said, "Senior Sister Zhiying, nice to see you again."

"Yes, it has been a while." Zhiying's eyes swept over Ji Xinghuo but didn't inquire further.

Ji Xinghuo observed her as well; this True Dragon human seemed to be Elder Yun Huoxiao's housekeeper or attendant. Her strength was formidable, having reached the sixth tier's third stage.

The Herder Saints sure knew how to make an impression; on Earth, even a top-ten-ranked King would only be used for greeting guests.

"Is Lord Xiao in?" Cang Ya asked.

Zhiying replied, "The Master is inside. He has already instructed me to bring you to him directly when you arrive, so you don't need to wait in line."

She led the way, "Please follow me."

The two of them, accompanied by the four Dragon Guards, entered a luxurious reception room.

As soon as they entered, a small flame appeared and quickly expanded, transforming into a tall and slender figure. His facial features were ageless, and he wore a friendly smile, yet his eyes were devoid of any emotion, making one feel oppressed when meeting his gaze.

Zhi Ying and Cang Ya quickly greeted him respectfully, and Ji Xinghuo followed Cang Ya's lead, addressing the other as Master Xiao.

However, he could tell at a glance that what stood before him was merely a clone.

The true body of Yun Huoxiao was in a building not far away, where a massive workshop was located. At the moment, he was researching something, and even the aura of the clone exuded a terrifying pressure up close.

"I have a premonition, Cang Ya, that you've brought me a good business opportunity." Yun Huoxiao's gaze fell upon Ji Xinghuo.

Cang Ya introduced, "Senior, this is Yun Huoliao."

"Greetings, Master Xiao." Ji Xinghuo greeted him once more.

"Yun Huo?"

Yun Huoxiao repeated, gazing at Ji Xinghuo with profound meaning. Suddenly, he said, "Your Deception Mask is quite something."

Ji Xinghuo's heart skipped a beat.

As he had expected, the Deception Mask of the Apocalypse One-Star was difficult to hide from the eyes of a Herder Saint, especially one who was a top forger with an extraordinary understanding of weapons and treasures.

"Hehe..."

Yun Huoxiao chuckled mysteriously, "There's no need for a young man to be nervous. I have no interest in your identity. State your purpose for coming here."

Ji Xinghuo secretly breathed a sigh of relief. He took out the Nirvana Dragon Armor and said, "Please, Master Xiao, repair this armor for me."

"Nirvana Dragon Armor, a fine piece indeed."

With a wave of Yun Huoxiao's hand, the Nirvana Dragon Armor floated into his palm. After examining it carefully, he flipped it over to inspect the other side and commented, "Your strength is impressive. It took just one sword strike to pierce through the Nirvana Dragon Armor. Fortunately, the damage isn't too severe; otherwise, it would have taken much more effort to repair."

Hearing his words, Ji Xinghuo's heart trembled. Just from the damage on the Nirvana Dragon Armor, Yun Huoxiao had deduced the situation.

Apparently, Yun Huoxiao was holding back and not revealing everything he knew.

Ji Xinghuo waited quietly. After a few minutes, Yun Huoxiao spoke again, "Five million ether crystals, including materials. I will repair this Nirvana Dragon Armor for you within a day, and you can pick it up at this time tomorrow."

This was much more expensive than what Cang Ya had mentioned.

However, Ji Xinghuo didn't hesitate at all. "Thank you, Master Xiao."

He immediately took out five million ether crystals and piled them up on the floor of the reception room, the crystals shimmering brightly.

"I like customers who are as decisive as you."

Finally, a genuine smile appeared in Yun Huoxiao's previously calm eyes. He waved his hand, signaling Zhi Ying to collect the ether crystals, and then he looked at Cang Ya and said, "If there are more customers as decisive as him, do bring them my way. I won't treat you unfairly."

"Yes, Master Xiao."

Cang Ya smiled in response, but she thought to herself, 'Where am I supposed to find another customer like Ji Xinghuo?'

"Zhi Ying, make sure to entertain them well and not neglect them." After speaking, Yun Huoxiao's clone transformed into a streak of fire and left with the Nirvana Dragon Armor.

"Yes, Lord."

After seeing the streak of fire disappear, Zhi Ying turned around and asked, "Would you like to rest in the mansion or visit the exhibition hall first?"

Cang Ya glanced at Ji Xinghuo, inquiring his preference.

"Exhibition hall?" Ji Xinghuo asked.

"That's where the weapons and equipment forged by the Lord are displayed, along with his collection. Every item is of Apocalypse-level quality, with clear price tags. If you're interested, you can purchase them on the spot or request a custom-made piece from the Lord." Zhi Ying smiled as she explained.

Ji Xinghuo's interest was piqued.

After his breakthrough to the King realm, his strength had increased significantly, but he lacked a suitable weapon.

Both the Thunder Rain Sword and the Spirit String Song were of Apocalypse One-Star level, and they were indeed powerful. However, they no longer fully matched his current strength. These two weapons could no longer bring out his full potential.

In fact, he had never had a primary weapon that suited him perfectly.

His first weapon, Thunder Chariot, had been too light.

The Devil's Melody was a Super Three-Star weapon, but its abilities didn't match his own.

The Electric War Blade was decent, with its weight and power matching his needs. However, as it was only a Super Three-Star weapon, its might had become somewhat inadequate.

Zhi Ying was skilled at observing people's expressions, and she immediately noticed Ji Xinghuo's interest. She smiled and asked, "The exhibition hall is open at all times. Would you like to go now?"

"Of course," Ji Xinghuo nodded.

"Please, this way."

Zhi Ying led the two out of the reception room and into a spacious building within the estate. The building was square-shaped, with each side measuring about a hundred meters. The interior was bright and spacious, forming a corridor in the shape of a horseshoe. It resembled an art gallery.

This was Yun Huoxiao's exhibition hall, guarded by a tight security detail. Each exhibit was guarded by two Legend Fifth Stage powerhouses.

Additionally, the entire hall was enveloped by the spiritual power of a Legend Sixth Stage expert.

The exhibition hall was open to the public, accessible to anyone who was Yun Huoxiao's client. At that moment, there were about a dozen people touring the hall.

When Zhi Ying led Ji Xinghuo and Cang Ya in, accompanied by the Dragon Guards, they immediately drew the attention of the other visitors.

Ji Xinghuo turned his head and saw a beautiful female True Dragon human walking slowly towards them. She wore a complex coral-colored long dress, had a pair of swords on her back, and a faint smile on her face.

"Xingban Lan." Cang Ya's eyes flashed, and she said in a deep voice, "You still have the nerve to call me Miss Ya?"

This woman was one of the Dragon Lords who had fought for Yunhailong in the Sea Abyss, Xingban Lan. However, she had been severely injured by just one exchange with Ji Xinghuo's shadow clone.

Xingban Lan explained helplessly, "Anyone can snatch a wild dragon, and that was in the Sea Abyss. I'm not like you, Miss Ya, born into the Cang Dragon family, having everything handed to me. You should understand my predicament."

As she spoke, her eyes fell on Ji Xinghuo, who was standing beside Cang Ya, and her heart skipped a beat as the wound on her chest, which had already healed, suddenly began to ache.

"You're here too."

Xingban Lan's expression became unnatural as she nodded towards Ji Xinghuo.

Ji Xinghuo ignored her.

Cang Ya sighed softly. The friendship they once shared was genuine, and Xingban Lan's words held some truth. Now that Yunhailong had been secured, there was no point in holding a grudge. So, she introduced him, "He is Yun Huolian."

"Nice to meet you," Xingban Lan greeted warmly.

Ji Xinghuo nodded in response but remained taciturn. However, this did not dampen Xingban Lan's enthusiasm as she moved to stand side by side with Cang Ya and asked, "Miss Ya, have you come to Forging Star Lake Mansion to craft weapons and equipment?"

"We're just here to have a look around," Cang Ya replied.

"Me too."

Xingban Lan sighed, "The items in Elder Yun Huo's exhibition hall are too expensive. I can only window-shop; I really can't afford them."

"Yes," Cang Ya nodded in agreement, sharing the same sentiment.

As the two women chatted, Xingban Lan's gaze kept shifting between Cang Ya and Ji Xinghuo, as if trying to discern the nature of their relationship.

At that moment, they arrived at the first exhibit, a long spear that shimmered brilliantly under the crystal lights. A piece of glazed glass beside it displayed detailed information about the spear, along with its price.

'Yangyan Dragon Spear, Apocalypse Two-Star, 280,000 ether crystals.'

Its appearance was similar to the Skyfire Dragon Tooth Spear, with a long and wide spearhead resembling a sword blade. The socket was shaped like an open dragon mouth, and the spear shaft was engraved with dragon scale anti-slip patterns. The entire spear was over three meters long and weighed more than two tons, glowing with a scorching red light.

"What a spear!"

Ji Xinghuo exclaimed in admiration after reading through the information.

Zhi Ying introduced loudly, "The Yangyan Dragon Spear is the most refined weapon crafted by the Lord. Its production is also very stable, with two pieces crafted every three star eras. It's one of the Lord's signature products, and pre-orders now have a fifteen-year waiting period."

Fifteen years? Ji Xinghuo was astonished and impressed by Yun Huo's money-making capabilities.

With two pieces crafted every three years, there were already ten people who had pre-ordered the Yangyan Dragon Spear, totaling 280,000 ether crystals. Although he didn't know the production cost, even if it was half the selling price, the profit from the Yangyan Dragon Spear alone would be nearly 10,000 ether crystals per year.

And this might only be a part of Yun Huo's income.

Scarcity increases value.

The output of the Yangyan Dragon Spear was probably more than two pieces every three years. Yun Huo was intentionally controlling the production to create a hunger marketing strategy, driving up the price of the spear while reducing his workload.

280,000 ether crystals was a sum that ordinary anomalies could not afford.

Ji Xinghuo shook his head.

He didn't have a particular fondness for spear-type weapons. In fact, he didn't have any preferences at all; as long as a weapon suited him and could bring out his full potential, he would use it.

The Yangyan Dragon Spear leaned towards high-temperature damage, and its weight was too light for his needs.

Onto the next exhibit.

It must be said that Yun Huo's forging skills and collection insight were top-notch in the Dynasty. Most of the exhibits in the hall were crafted by him—long spears, swords, knives, armor, and some decorative treasures. The majority of them were Apocalypse Two-Star items.

There were also a few Apocalypse One-Star items, which were extremely rare treasures, each valued at no less than 200,000 ether crystals.

Ji Xinghuo was amazed.

As they viewed each exhibit, he couldn't help but feel disappointed that none of them suited him. However, as they entered the exhibition hall's no-physical-object display area, his eyes finally lit up.

It was a projected hologram, appearing neat and straight, massive and heavy, as if it had been cut from a single metal plate. Only one side was sharpened, revealing a sleek black surface with traces of lightning, exuding a fierce and wild aura that was truly stunning.

Beside it, a piece of glazed glass displayed the following information: 'Thunder Slash War Blade, Apocalypse Three-Star, pre-order price of 1.5 million ether crystals.'

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end