Crack! The standard long saber in Zhou Shu's hand released a crisp sound as it broke in two.
Half of the saber fell and plunged a few inches into the ground.
Zhou Shu was unconcerned about the long saber's demise. His entire focus was on the information that suddenly appeared in his head.
[Dragon Elephant Prajna Technique!]
Thanks to his predecessor's memories, Zhou Shu had long known that elite martial arts existed in this world.
But before this, he didn't know if he would be able to survive, so why would he fantasize about unattainable things?
He had never imagined he would be able to gain a cultivation technique in such a situation!
The weapons I forge provide such benefits after killing an enemy? Zhou Shu's entire being became enthralled. Even the unpleasant sensation of killing someone diminished.
He had believed that becoming a Forging Master would reverse his fate. But he now understood that the precious stone lands its innocent possessor in jail. Being a Forging Master with only forging techniques and formulas while having no ability to defend himself might not be such a good idea.
The sharp standard long saber was not even a ranked weapon, but others had already coveted it. What would happen if it was a ranked weapon?
Forging Apprentices with strong backgrounds might not be afraid, but Zhou Shu was different. He was not protected in Great Xia.
What had just happened was proof.
He had just taken out a sharp standard long saber, but someone had soon come to confront him about the secret forging formula.
If the standard long saber's sharpness hadn't been so exceptional, the outcome might not have been so favorable.
Because the sharp standard long saber could cut through iron as easily as it did mud, and it could even cut through the hammer, the tall thin man had been caught off-guard and killed. Otherwise, Zhou Shu might not have been his opponent.
I can't let myself be in such a dangerous situation again! Zhou Shu still felt some apprehension when he remembered the incident. This feeling of his life hanging on a knife's edge was something he didn't want to go through again.
[You receive a reward of two years of cultivation because the sharp standard long saber you forged effectively completed a kill!]
Another voice broke out in Zhou Shu's mind.
Simultaneously, his dantian seemed to erupt as a powerful force appeared out of nowhere, and energy spread throughout his body in an instant.
Crack! Zhou Shu felt as though one of the shackles in his body broke. An unending stream of energy surged out from his dantian, and his entire body appeared to be brimming with vitality. Even his vision and hearing were much sharper than before.
Mm? Zhou Shu's eyes twinkled. He took a step forward and waved his arm. The broken saber in his hand instantly slashed the anvil in front of him.
He forged on this anvil most of the time. It was thick and heavy in an unprecedented way. It had also been tempered a thousand times, making it as tough as heavenly weapons.
Zhou Shu's saber cleaved the thick anvil as though it was tofu, splitting it into the size of an infant's head with a whoosh.
Bang! The iron fell to the ground, sending dust flying everywhere.
Zhou Shu heard a few frantic footsteps outside the yard walls at just about the same time.
Tonight, the tall thin man wasn't the only one with a greedy heart. He had merely acted the quickest and had also died the quickest.
The death of the tall thin man and Zhou Shu's strike had scared away the rest of the people with hidden agendas.
This is too dangerous! Zhou Shu felt a lingering fear in his heart. I didn't think the Forging Division would be this scary. I didn't realize that when people get greedy, they have no concerns!
Zhou Shu looked at the corpse on the ground, but he wasn't too worried. One reaped what one sowed. Those who killed others were always killed. This person had attacked him first, and he had merely counterattacked. This was reasonable.
Furthermore, Xiao Zongshui had just taken away his saber. How could he refuse to assist him in resolving such a minor issue?
My sharp standard long saber didn't kill anyone again. Why is there another reward? Was it the other saber? Zhou Shu mused, putting other thoughts aside.
He had forged two sharp standard long sabers.
When he killed the tall thin man, one of them had broken, while the other had been taken by Superintendent Xiao Zongshui.
Since he didn't kill anyone now, it was only natural to assume that Xiao Zongshui had killed someone!
It appears that I can obtain rewards even if others use the weapons I forge to slay. Zhou Shu felt that he was getting a better grasp on how to use the Legendary Armament Canon. In that case, as long as I forge and distribute enough weapons… His eyes gleamed.
By just forging two sharp standard long sabers, he had attained the Dragon Elephant Prajna Technique and two years of cultivation. If he forged two hundred…
He was getting excited just thinking about it. Doesn't this mean that everyone who uses a weapon I forge is effectively working for me?
The Dragon Elephant Prajna Technique has thirteen levels. I have two years of cultivation now, and I have only mastered the first level. I will need four years to master the second level. The third level will take eight years, and the fourth will take sixteen… Under normal circumstances, I won't be able to reach the thirteenth level for the rest of my life. But this aim isn't tough to achieve with the Legendary Armament Canon!
The first level of the Dragon Elephant Prajna Technique gave him the power of one dragon and one elephant. This was an exaggeration, but his current strength was still equivalent to hundreds of catties.
His prior strike wouldn't have had the same impact if not for this. After all, no matter how sharp a weapon was, its power depended on the person wielding it.
He didn't have to worry about any Forging Apprentices endangering his life because he had the might of one dragon and one elephant now.
But Forging Apprentices were solely at the entry-level of the Forging Division. The majority of them were just average folks.
Numerous people were stronger than them, and the first level of the Dragon Elephant Prajna Technique was far from sufficient.
This world, according to the scattered legends in his predecessor's memory, was a world of elite martial arts. Even if he reached the highest level of the Dragon and Elephant Prajna Technique, he might not be invincible, much less being only at the first level.
It's safer for me to stay in the Forging Division until I gain sufficient strength. Zhou Shu rationalized. Even though there are people here with hidden agendas, they don't dare to act rashly. Plus, it's only here that I can freely forge and distribute weapons.
The Forging Division's weapons would be delivered to the three armies of Great Xia. Normally, there would be a slew of battles, and they would certainly kill foes with the weapons in their hands.
It was unrealistic to expect all three armies to use the weapons he forged. But his gains would already be unthinkable if hundreds or thousands of people used the weapons he forged to kill enemies.
If I stay in the Forging Division… Zhou Shu used his past life habits to assess the situation's benefits and drawbacks. I used to believe that if I became a Forging Master, I would receive preferential treatment as a skilled craftsman. Now, it appears that I've simplified things too much.
Unlike in my previous life, this isn't an era of peace. But even back then, there were many people who would do anything for the sake of benefits.
The forging formulas of ranked weapons are things that can be passed down from one generation to another of Forging Masters. Their value is immeasurable.
Not to mention how I'll explain the origins of the secret forging formulas, I have no idea how many people will come for the secret formulas because I don't have any background. A sharp standard long saber is only a top-tier standard weapon. Forging Masters might not take a liking to it. But if it's forging formulas for ranked weapons, even Forging Masters will be tempted. A Forging Master's strength is far greater than that of a Forging Apprentice. Likely, the Dragon Elephant Prajna Technique's initial level won't be able to handle one. So I can't advance to Forging Master until I have enough strength to defend myself. I have to keep it a secret, even if I can forge ranked weapons! Zhou Shu analyzed the pros and cons of the situation in his mind.
He was confident that he could become a Forging Master with the Legendary Armament Canon, even if it only contained the formula for one weapon now. But looking at things now, rushing to become a Forging Master wasn't a good idea.
To begin with, it was strange that a Forging Apprentice could quickly ascend to the rank of Forging Master without the help of a master.
People were already coveting the sharp standard long saber just by demonstrating it. Who knew how many people would react if secret forging formulas for ranked weapons appeared!
Zhou Shu didn't want to be captured and interrogated.
Furthermore, he had been rushing to become a Forging Master previously because he was afraid of dying young from overwork. He no longer had to be concerned about this issue.
He had mastered the first level of the Dragon Elephant Prajna Technique. Putting everything else aside, with his current strength, would he be tired to death if he forged three to five weapons a day like he was playing a game?
This was impossible.
Completing the meager amount for the task required of Forging Apprentices was a piece of cake for the current Forging Apprentice Zhou Shu.
I'll stay in the Forging Division as an apprentice and do my best to forge some sharp standard long sabers to accumulate my strength. Until I have absolute confidence, I won't advance to Forging Master! Zhou Shu contemplated.
At the same time, in a luxurious residence not too far from Zhou Shu's workshop…
Xiao Zongshui flicked his wrist in the courtyard of the mansion, and the blood on the long saber fell to the ground. The blade was shiny and clean once again.
A black dog nearly half the height of a human dropped to the ground just in front of him, the head and body severed.
Xiao Zongshui had tested the saber on a living creature!
Clang!
He flicked his finger on the saber, and a melodious sound rang out.
He nodded contentedly. This saber is much sharper than I anticipated. Ordinary standard long sabers can already penetrate through a layer of armor, which isn't too bad. But this saber is capable of penetrating three layers of armor and instantly killing a fleshy body without any resistance. This Zhou Shu is truly exceptional… I already gave up on competing, but I wasn't expecting Zhou Shu to offer me a ray of hope. Xiao Zongshui deliberated. This saber might actually work.
Xiao Zongshui tossed his sleeves, pushed open the door, and strode toward the Forging Apprentices' residential area, seemingly having made a decision.