After we got everything ready, we finally exited the room, where we practically flew through the hallways until we reached a two-sliding door where we quickly entered. The room was spacious and decorated with different talismans and weapons. It was split into four parts—five, if you include the empty space in the middle, where it played like a commonplace.
Wang Nuo was in the back right corner, where the top of her Hanfu robes wrapped around her waist, showing tank top-like clothing that showed her muscular arms and hints of her muscular core, which were covered with sweat. No longer did she have jewelry on or makeup. Her hair was put up in a messy bun to keep it from her face and her sweaty face was still pale but now had a pink blush as she was banging a blade with a hammer with a raging flame underneath.
The flame wasn't the normal red and orange, but a purple flame. Even standing by the door on the other side of the room, I felt the flame's heat, which made me start sweating until I felt a coldness surround me. I looked over at Zhou Li, who examined me for a bit before looking towards the working woman.
"Sister Nuo, we're here." He announced, as we walked towards the middle of the room in the common area. The woman didn't react much, still banging on the blade that slowly started turning the same color as the flame before something enchanting happened.
A white aura started to form around the blade, giving it a mysterious feeling. I watched Wang Nuo start chanting something as she put down her hammer and picked up a pick like tool. Not caring that her face was near a metal that was sweltering, and a blazing fire just underneath that, she started etching into the blade, her eyes glowing a bright red.
Slowly and smoothly, she started etching. Not once did she lift the pick from the blade, nor once has she blinked. I watched as more sweat formed on her face and the concentration in her eyes started to strain. Suddenly, like the blade turned into a different material, her effortlessly smooth carving started to show signs of struggle.
Her speed slowed down to the pace of a snail, and her lips pursed while her brows furrowed. Her already red eyes turned brighter and slowly I saw hints of blue in them as she started chanting something else. Compared to the previous smoothing whisper chant, this one was like a lightning bolt—quick, strong, and loud.
The flame underneath the blade started twisting as if dancing, and gradually, it slowly morphed into a snake. The snake, made of purple flames, twirled around the unconcerned woman as if showing off. However, seeing that she didn't react to it while continuing to chant, it gave off a feeling of being offended before it set its eyes on the blade. With a flick of its tail, it dove straight into the blade with high aggression. Its slim body wrapped it around like it was squeezing prey.
The snake of flames squeezed, and I can see how even the scales on its body tightened. Suddenly, a scream sounded out, almost making me jump from my skin. However, it didn't come from any of the people in the room but from the blade itself. The scream sounded young and vibrant, but the pain made the scream have a slight rasp.
Wang Nuo, who never stopped etching the whole time, her pick going straight through the snake's body, raised her voice and her pick that looked to be stuck in mud, finally started moving again. It moved faster than even the first time as it glided across the screaming blade like water.
Abruptly, she dropped the pick, not paying mind to where it went as she did hand symbols, chanting one word that I didn't understand with each change of sign. The snake that was tightening around the screaming blade finally let it go from its grip, as it instead wrapped around Wang Nuo's hands as she signed.
Finally, she shouted once more before shifting her body to the side as her head still faced the blade. Her left hand was in a pointing gesture as she raised it up to the side of her at a 45-degree angle. The snake of flames was in the hand, twisting rapidly, and in quick motion she brought her right hand to reach her left and quickly glided it down, following the angle, but with it, the snake followed like a flame tornado.
The right hand that glided with the snake struck down onto the blade, instantly silencing the screaming as the snake plowed through the blade right back to its position in the beginning. The blade let out a hum as the white aura glowed before it was sucked into the blade and the engravings that were etched out started turning a beautiful light blue.
The area suddenly became quiet besides our frantic breathing and the crackling of the fire. My heart was pounding and if it weren't for this mask, I would probably be erratic. I looked at Wang Nuo, who was taking small even breaths and the fire that looked to be any other flame besides the color. "I'm really in a place of mythical things." I thought to myself, gaining a new type of wonderment.
"It's also a dangerous place." I frowned a bit but Wang Nuo's voice sounded out, shifting my attention from the pessimistic thought.
"Enjoy the show?" Wang Nuo asked with a little huskiness. I didn't realize she was talking to me until her eyes looked over when she didn't hear an answer after a bit of waiting.
Nodding my head, I signed, "I liked it a lot. It was magical." I signed to her truthfully, and she chuckled as she nodded her head, repeating the word magical with amusement. She took one more breath before she moved around the corner space, grabbing a metal slim pole I didn't realize was there before picking up the still glowing blade.
She said something with her eyes closed and pressed the edge of the pole towards the socket of the blade. I watched as the two points connected and a red glow formed. The socket started to melt, creating a water-like movement down the pole before settling down when the red glow disappeared.
In Wang Nuo's hand, there is now a spear that is mainly white in color and blue as a secondary. She quickly gestured a 'come here' and I watched as Zhou Li moved over to her, listening to directions from her before eventually grabbing the weapon.
Closing his eyes, his hand glowed a dark blue, and I watched as the weapon gradually changed size, color, and aura. When it was done, the spear now stood a foot over Zhou Li's head in an imposing manner. Its shaft slightly expanded to fit his hand, while the blade seemed to grow skinnier but sharper.
The white turned into more of a metallic gray, while the original light blue engravings turned the same color blue as the glow of Zhou Li's hand. The aura of the blade began to show as the space became chilly and ice on the bottom of the weapon started to form on the wooden floor.
Opening his eyes, Zhou Li let out a soft groan and looked over the spear that was shaking a bit in his hand. "Are you sure you want to give me this, Sister Nuo? It has developed a consciousness. I don't think someone of my level should have something so valuable." The spear in his hand stopped shaking before it started shaking rapidly. A soft cry radiated from it, but no one seemed to hear it.
Zhou Li looked startled at the now shaking spear, while Wang Nuo looked at both man and weapon with a sigh, leaving her lips as she spoke. "Brother Li saying something like that will hurt their feelings. Be mindful of how you speak towards them." Zhou Li's brows furrowed and his lips pursed, but he apologized to the spear, which then calmed down to a gentle shaking.
Seeing that the spear was appeased, Wang Nuo continued, "Yes, I am sure to give it to you. Their consciousness developed because of your will, which is why you're having this weapon made for you, Brother Li." Her eyes looked over at me and Chen Liang, "It wants to be your aid in protecting people you love. It fought to make it a conscious being; now it's your turn to bond with it and learn about one another."
She waved her hand to us and Chen Liang walked up with me in her arms until we stood in front of Zhou Li. "Now let them feel the people you two are protecting. Sister Liang, Little Ignis, touch the spear whenever you two are ready."
Me and Chen Liang didn't move right away. I looked up at Chen Liang, who was looking at Zhou Li with an expression I couldn't read, then towards me with an encouraging smile before settling her eyes on the spear. I watched Chen Liang place her hand on the spear shaft and saw it shake while it let out a soft hum. An ice pattern formed on the back of Chen Liang's hand, causing her to laugh before she let go.
"They like you, Sister Liang." Wang Nuo spoke with a smile before looking over at me with a gentle one. "Little Ignis, go ahead." I looked towards her before looking at the spear, which seemed to shake as if telling me to hurry.
Slowly, I reached up to place my hand on the blade, curiously following the engravings that reminded me of the vines of a rose. I followed the lines with the tips of my fingers in a downward motion, getting lost in examining their complexity.
Suddenly, the lines let out a soft glow under my fingers. I didn't move them, as a small beat resonated from the weapon. The spear let out a more vigorous hum that even the people in the room could hear and we witnessed as a vine made from ice sprouted out from the shaft and made it up towards me and slowly a rose formed at the end of it.
I retracted my hand from the blade, which made the spear give a sigh of grievance, but quickly it hummed again when I picked the rose from its vine, which instantly melted away after losing its flower. The rose, however, didn't melt. It was more sturdy than I previously thought, just like ice, if not for its whimsical appearance.
I brought the rose closer to my face and saw that similar engravings that were on the blade were on the petals. They were a light blue color, almost blending in with the glittery white of the rose. Not once did I feel any signs of melting; it lay in my hands like a very cold statue.
"It seems to like you very much, Little Ignis; it gave you a Weponaire Relic, and it's the very first one at that," Wang Nuo said as she walked over to us once the spear calmed down to complete stillness. "It's adjusting right now. Once it's finished, Brother Zhou Li, make sure you interact with it and learn their name." Zhou Li nodded his head while wrapping the spear in the velvety blue cloth that Wang Nuo gave him.
When I thought that was all, Wang Nuo walked up to Chen Liang while looking at me and said, "Sister Liang, Brother Li, I want to have a talk with Little Ignis if that is alright with him."
The husband and wife looked at each other before looking at me in silent questioning. I was also confuse however, I nodded my head. Chen Liang placed me on the floor and she and Zhou Li walked out of the room, shutting the door behind them.
Wang Nuo pointed at one of the couches to sit on, while she went to the side to grab a towel to wash her face with. Climbing onto the couch, I took my time to really look at the large room that was the size of three average modern-day living room sizes.
The other corners of the space, I realized, each make up a type of production. Like the back left was for weapon making, the back right looked to be for talisman and rune making, the top right for pill and elixir making, and the top left for something I couldn't figure out.
I stared in the space to see herbs, pill and elixir bottles, and books on all the shelves that surrounded a big hot bath that looked like a jacuzzi*. The water in it was still, while mist floated on top of it. There were flowers around the space, making it look like a relaxing hot spring.
"It's body forging." Wang Nuo said, breaking me from my examination as she sat by me with a plate of cookies in her hands. She offered me the plate, and I took two cookies before she placed the rest on the table after taking two herself.
She didn't question me as I took out my second mask so I could eat. Even though she knew my identity, I still couldn't help hiding my face. We didn't talk as we ate our respected delicacies. It wasn't awkward but calm, like silent reading in a classroom.
When we were done, Wang Nuo got us each a towel to wipe our hands and faces from the crumbs. "I'm sorry if this sudden invitation for a personal talk may have startled you, but I mean no harm to you. I promise," Wang Nuo comforted, as she turned to fully face me while I brought my legs up to cross them so I could do the same.
"No, I don't mind. I think you're a very interesting person." I signed, causing her to laugh.
"Interesting person, huh? I will take that. I want to have this conversation today to help you with your current struggles." She sighed while her face turned serious. "I won't lie to you, Ignis; this man might be a person from the higher dimensions who came down here in search of someone like you."
My heart skipped a beat and a bundle of questions filled my head, but I signed the most pressing one, "A higher dimension? How does that change things?" I asked.
Her face grimaced before she explained, "Well, for starters, it changes many things. This world we are in has 10 dimensions; we are currently in the third dimension. The higher you go in the dimensions, the stronger the people will be. Each dimension differs vastly from the other."
I thought about it before signing: "So what you're saying is that the man is currently one of the most powerful people in this current dimension, so fighting him will cause problems?"
"Yes, but also no. Yes, because his mastery over his cultivation is much stronger compared to this dimension, but no, because when people of higher dimensions come down to lower dimensions, their cultivation is suppressed to the average cultivation of the dimension. Just like me." She explained while my eyes widen.
"You're from a higher dimension?" I asked incredulously, while she nodded her head with a smile back on her face.
"Which brings me to my other no. I believe he is from the fourth dimension, while I'm originally from the sixth dimension and have been living in the third dimension for many years now. My cultivation's mastery and strength are more potent than his is." Hints of pride seeped in her voice before she looked me in the eye.
"I'm confident I can protect you, however." She said with a pause, which caused me to sit up straight. "One thing my father always said to me was to never get too overconfident. The unexpected may become expected. Thus, I have a plan I want you to listen to."
Seeing that I was listening, she continued, "I want to practice your body to make it a living weapon." My eyes expanded as I instantly thought of cyborgs and futuristic movies.
She didn't talk as I thought about it and asked her, "You can further explain?" She gave me an encouraging smile before thinking a bit.
"I mean, train your body to be a real-life blade. For example, you could cut through a hard material with the swipe of your finger. That way, you're able to protect yourself when the unexpected might happen." She explained once again, and we entered silence, letting me think.
"What she said makes sense. I haven't learned anything besides medicine and language since I've been here. I still haven't learned anything in tha-," I stopped mid-thought. Wang Nuo looked at me with puzzlement as I suddenly became frantic as I move to dig through my bag. Before she could ask me anything, I grabbed and pulled out a red book that I hadn't seen for a while now.
I handed her the book and when she took it from my hands, I signed, "This book I got from the market. It's a body cultivation but I've been reading it for a while and even asked Zhen Li to help me but we haven't figured it out yet." I explained.
I watched her open and look around, not saying anything while she flipped through the pages, studying each one. I watched as her neutral face slowly showed hints of surprise before finally looking up at me after closing the book.
"There's a reason you two didn't understand anything." She said this as she grinned. I was going to ask her to clarify, but she beat me to it. "The symbols on the bottom aren't words. They're body movements. These circles, dots, and lines are dances."