Zanxing

Chapter 68 - Armory (2)

Yanxing was completely unaware of what had transpired in the Jinhua Hall.

When she received the list of names for the trial in the secret realm of Li-er Kingdom, she couldn't help but feel puzzled. It was no surprise that Mu Chengxiao, Tian Fangfang, and herself were listed. It was a certainty. The fact that the junior disciple named Men Dong, who supposedly had some "spiritual immortal aperture" and was said to be an excellent support, was on the list wasn't surprising either. The beauty Meng Ying was heading to the secret realm to practice her sword, naturally, to advance the romantic plot with the male lead. But as she stared at the name "Gu Baiying" on the list, she couldn't make sense of it.

Given Gu Baiying's seniority and position, there was no reason for him to attend a trial in such a routine secret realm like Li-er Kingdom. This wasn't part of the original storyline, either. Yanxing glanced at the red mark on her palm, which had not deepened.

It seemed that the plotline hadn't shifted significantly.

She pondered for a long time, but when she couldn't figure it out, she decided to push the matter aside and focus on her cultivation. After all, this was her first time entering a secret realm, and who knew if the original story would have hidden traps waiting for her to stumble into. It was best to increase her strength—so long as she didn't steal the protagonist's spotlight, she could avoid changing the main storyline.

Two months flew by. Ever since the last time the Xiao Yuan Pearl went dormant, it had gradually regained some vitality under the abundant daily spiritual nourishment. On the night of the seventh day of the new year, Yanxing had another breakthrough, reaching the late stage of the Foundation Establishment.

This cultivation speed was already quite impressive. Of course, the Xiao Yuan Pearl played a significant role in pushing her forward. In addition, perhaps seeing her as a promising disciple, Xuan Ling had gone to Li Danshu to request many spirit-nurturing pills for her. Yanxing took a few every day, and finally, she began to see some progress.

Three days before the journey to the secret realm of Li-er Kingdom, Xuan Ling asked her to start packing.

As an inner disciple now, Yanxing's possessions were a bit more refined than before. Xuan Ling gifted her a large, red, gold-embroidered Qiankun pouch, which was more spacious and of better material than the one she had lost at Gufeng Mountain. The only downside was its overly extravagant color. Xuan Lingzi told her that it was a gift from the sect leader, Shaoyang, so Yanxing wasn't surprised. Despite his ethereal, otherworldly appearance, Sect Master Shaoyang had certain habits that were not much different from a hundred-year-old elder. He was fond of wellness and had a solemn and festive aesthetic. In the Taiyan Sect, known for its understated and ethereal style, he indeed stood out.

Yanxing sat on the floor, opening her Qiankun pouch to pack some pills and a few books. Ever since Xumi Jiezi Scroll, when Cui Yufu saw Yanxing use a Torch Eye Talisman, he had been regularly sending disciples to deliver various niche talisman books, most of which were his own compilations. Titles such as 365 Letters from a Talisman Master to His Disciples and From Foundation Establishment to Divine Transformation: The Greatest Training Program for Talisman Masters. Yanxing figured that if Cui Fuyu existed in the modern world, he would surely be an expert in compiling educational materials.

Yanxing also packed a few miscellaneous books she had borrowed from the library. After all, this was her first trip to Li-er Kingdom, so she took along a few related books, treating them as travel guides.

Hongsu wanted to help but couldn't distinguish between the different types of pills. So, she sat beside Yanxing, playing with the cat. Ever since Hongsu had arrived at Taiyan Sect, she had steadily increased Mimi's already sizable appetite. Yanxing feared that if this continued, Mimi would grow into a Silver Wolf Pig before it matured into a Silver Wolf Lion.

The little girl loved the fluffy white cat and asked while petting its head, "Miss, can it really not talk?"

Yanxing replied, "It can't."

"Then can you understand what it's saying?"

Yanxing sighed, "Do you think I'm a Disney princess?"

Hongsu blinked. "What's a Disney princess? In my heart, Miss is a princess."

Yanxing stood up and patted her head. "I'm going to the outer hall to see Master. You play by yourself."

Hongsu nodded obediently.

Yanxing left the Mingxiu Courtyard. In just a few days, they would be heading to the secret realm of Li-er Kingdom. Before departing, Sect Master Shaoyang had asked Xuan Ling to take his new disciples to the Armory to choose magical weapons.

Each inner disciple was allowed to select a magical weapon from the Armory. The weapons stored there were all mid-level and above, though of course, when it came to magical weapons, there was the matter of affinity. The best weapon wasn't always the highest-ranking one, but rather the one that suited its wielder best.

Yanxing arrived at Miaokong Hall, where Mu Chengxiao and Tian Fangfang were already waiting. When Tian Fangfang saw her, he laughed and threw an arm around her shoulder. "Junior Sister, that iron staff of yours is so rusty it's growing mushrooms. When we go to the Armory this time, you better open your eyes and choose a good one! Don't be shy—pick the most expensive one. If you don't want it later, you can always sell it for a good price!"

His brazen attitude toward taking advantage of the situation made Xuan Ling cough lightly in disapproval. "Come with me," he said.

The Armory was next to the Martial Arts Library. It looked like a huge warehouse from the outside, with no extra decoration except for a large, black, iron door with a copper-green lock. The lock seemed to have some engraving on it, and as they approached, they could see it was a depiction of a hundred children playing around a dragon lantern, full of festive cheer.

Yanxing thought, "..."

This aesthetic was clearly Sect Master Shaoyang's handiwork.

She waited for Xuan Ling to unlock the door. He stepped forward, placing his hand on the giant lock. With a low, rumbling sound, the tightly sealed black door slowly creaked open.

Yanxing was a bit surprised—it was a fingerprint lock.

"Come on in," Xuan Ling said as he entered first.

Yanxing and the others followed. The warehouse was huge, about twice the size of the Martial Arts Library, with a high ceiling. The walls were lined with various swords and blades, and piles of weapons lay on the floor. As they stepped inside, dust rose into the air. It certainly looked like an abandoned warehouse.

Standing in the center of the room, Xuan Ling smiled at them. "The weapons here are all mid-level at the very least. Some are even high-level, but whether you can wield them depends on your own ability. If you lack the power to subdue them, they won't be yours to command. Also, you should choose based on your own cultivation and style, not just on value." He gave a pointed look at Tian Fangfang.

He seemed oblivious and asked Xuan Ling, "Master, is a high-level weapon the best?"

"Not necessarily," Xuan Ling replied with a smile. "If a weapon develops sentience and forms a spirit, then that kind of supreme weapon is truly the most powerful. But," he added, "such weapons are incredibly rare, perhaps one in a thousand years. Our sect doesn't have any, and even in the broader cultivation world, they are exceedingly rare."

At this, the group fell silent. The thought of a supreme weapon was tempting, but such opportunities were not easily found.

"Enough about that. Who wants to choose first?" Xuan Ling asked.