Chapter 413 - 244: Nurturing a Weapon

Chapter 413: Chapter 244: Nurturing a Weapon

Chen Yougong said, "We’re just ordinary merchants now. If we run into demons, what’s wrong with reporting it to the Taiping Bureau?

As for Su Mu getting injured by some demon lord, what does that have to do with us?

He was the one who insisted on leaving the city."

"Can that demon lord really defeat Su Mu?"

The attendant asked, still a little worried.

"It’s best if he can, but it has nothing to do with us if he can’t. In any case, that demon lord came on his own. It’s not our problem,"

Chen Yougong said.

...

"Big Head, have you heard about the Ancient Martial Cultivation Cave Mansion deep in Daxing Mountain?"

Zhang Zhongmei asked as he and Huo Zhen Court returned to their residence in Songjiang Prefecture.

"Of course."

Huo Zhen Court replied, "How could something like that escape my notice? I was even thinking of tricking Su Mu into exploring it with me. With our combined strength, we might have even gotten our hands on that Divine Weapon."

"Too late. That Divine Weapon has already been taken."

Zhang Zhongmei said, "Just before I came to Songjiang Prefecture, I got news that the Ancient Martial Cultivation Cave Mansion was breached. Everything inside was snatched up by various factions, and the most precious item, the Divine Weapon, was supposedly taken by Taishi Tianbi."

"Taishi Tianbi?"

Huo Zhen Court found the name somewhat familiar. After thinking for a moment, he suddenly remembered.

"Is that the young man who ranked first on the Dragon and Tiger Rebirth List, placing him one spot above Su Mu?"

Back when he was roaming the world, this person hadn’t appeared yet. Later, after being besieged by the Demon Court, he returned to a world where it felt like a new generation had replaced the old.

When he saw that Dragon and Tiger Rebirth List, Huo Zhen Court had been curious about what kind of person could actually surpass Su Mu.

He had witnessed Su Mu’s monstrous talent with his own eyes.

’Of course,’ he’d always thought, ’that Dragon and Tiger List is a joke.’

’Huo Zhen Court himself isn’t even on the list!’

"He’s supposed to be in the Rebirth Realm, right? Are all those experts just useless? They let someone in the Rebirth Realm snatch the Divine Weapon?"

Huo Zhen Court complained.

"He was indeed on the Dragon and Tiger Rebirth List, but that was several years ago. Who says he’s still in the Rebirth Realm?

Lord Su was on that list once too. Is he still in the Rebirth Realm now?"

Zhang Zhongmei continued, "From what I’ve heard, Taishi Tianbi fought a True Essence Realm Martial Artist head-on and didn’t lose ground.

After seizing the Divine Weapon, he even managed to escape from a Core Formation Realm expert."

"That fierce?"

Huo Zhen Court said in surprise, "Why are you telling me all this? Don’t tell me you know where Taishi Tianbi is. Are you planning to have me rob the robber?

Besides, this guy sounds pretty tough. I’m not sure I could beat him."

Huo Zhen Court had always fancied himself a technical talent; fighting wasn’t his strong suit.

"I heard he’s heading south. If he happens to pass through Songjiang Prefecture, I’d like to see what a Divine Weapon looks like for myself,"

Zhang Zhongmei said with a hint of longing.

"With that scrawny body of yours, a single sneeze from him could send you to the Western Heaven."

Huo Zhen Court pursed his lips. "Wanting to see a Divine Weapon is easy, isn’t it? Just live a few more years. When I finally forge one, I’ll definitely let you have a look."

"Relying on you? I’d have better luck relying on myself,"

Zhang Zhongmei said.

...

"Captain Yang, have demons ever appeared in Songjiang Prefecture before?"

Su Mu asked on the way to the mine.

"There have been."

Yang Yungzhong said, "Two years ago, a demon lord came to a village outside the city and brutally killed seven or eight villagers. It took us quite an effort to finally slay him."

’Two years ago?’

Su Mu felt a bit helpless. The most recent demon appearance was two years ago. Songjiang Prefecture truly lived up to its name, Taiping.

"Actually, it’s not like we’re just sitting around doing nothing."

Yang Yungzhong scratched his head and said, "Demons aren’t common in our Songjiang Prefecture, but fugitives from the wanted list show up frequently."

Xiangzhou is prosperous, and Songjiang Prefecture is one of its most prosperous places.

The brothels of Songjiang Prefecture, in particular, are world-renowned.

Many of the fugitives on the wanted list are lecherous types who love coming to Songjiang Prefecture to indulge themselves.

"Actually, there are monsters in Songjiang Prefecture too."

Another Taiping Captain eagerly chimed in, "Lord Su, our Songjiang Prefecture is near the coast. The Songjiang River, which flows through the city, leads directly to the sea. Occasionally, sea monsters will swim upstream.

But they usually don’t come ashore."

Su Mu nodded. Within Songjiang Prefecture was the Songjiang River, which cut through the city and flowed into the sea. It was several dozen meters wide, and its current was quite turbulent.

Ao Qing usually hid within the Songjiang River.

With it around, there was no need to worry about any aquatic monsters causing trouble.

"What do you think? Is Chen Yougong’s story about demons causing trouble at the mine true or false?"

Su Mu asked.

"Chen Yougong probably wouldn’t dare to lie."

Yang Yungzhong said, "But whether it’s actually demons... that’s hard to say."

The journey of over ten miles was nothing to the group.

By the time the sky had brightened, they had already arrived at the Chen Family’s mine.

A steward ran out in a hurry to greet them.

"This humble one is Chen San. I greet you, my lords."

The steward said with a fawning smile, his back bowed.

"Where are the miners who went mad?"

Su Mu raised a hand, gesturing for him to dispense with the formalities, and asked.

"My lord, the dead miners are all buried on the back mountain,"

the steward said hastily.

"Go take a look,"

Su Mu said.

One of the Taiping Captains immediately took some men to the back mountain to investigate.

"Before they went mad, where did they all go? Or who did they see?"

Su Mu continued to question the steward.

"The miners eat and live here at the mine. They’re only ever around us."

The steward mused, "Oh, right! Before the incidents, they had all been to Mine Tunnel Seven!"

"Where is Mine Tunnel Seven? Take us there,"

Su Mu said flatly.

Ever since arriving, he had been observing the mine but had not detected any trace of Demonic Qi.

"My lord, Mine Tunnel Seven collapsed yesterday,"

the steward said with a pained expression.

"Why did it collapse?"

Su Mu asked with a frown.

"This humble one doesn’t know..."

the steward said, trembling with fear.

"Take me there,"

Su Mu said.

The steward didn’t dare say more and quickly led the way, bringing the group to a collapsed mine tunnel.

Just then, the Taiping Captain who had gone to the back mountain to inspect the bodies returned.

"My lord, there is no trace of Demonic Qi on the deceased."

The Taiping Captain reported, coming before Su Mu and clasping his hands.

No Demonic Qi, yet they suddenly went mad and harmed themselves.

Puzzled expressions appeared on the faces of Yang Yungzhong and the others. ’Could it really be as the mine’s steward said? Did mining the ore anger the Mountain God?’

"It wasn’t demons. It was man-made."

Su Mu crouched down, picked up a piece of rubble to examine it, and then spoke slowly.

"Someone is using the mountain range to nurture a weapon. The miners must have accidentally stumbled upon them, which is why they were driven mad by some method."

Su Mu said calmly, "Such an act is demonic in itself."

"A person?"

Yang Yungzhong and the others looked baffled. "My lord, what is ’nurturing a weapon with a mountain range’?"

"Heaven, Earth, mountains, and rivers all possess qi. There is a method where a weapon is hidden within a mountain range, using the qi within the mountains to nourish it.

If the qi within the mountain is completely absorbed, the mountain will die, just like a person. The result is a landslide."

Su Mu slowly explained.

’If I hadn’t cultivated the Heavenly Craft Refining Technique, I wouldn’t have been able to see through this either.’

’However, it’s impossible for an ordinary person to know of this weapon-nurturing method.’

’Could it be a disciple from the Divine Weapon Pavilion?’

"If that’s the case, and this place has already collapsed, does that mean the culprit has already left?"

Yang Yungzhong mused.

"No."

Su Mu shook his head. "Once the nurturing process begins, the weapon cannot be moved at will. He must still be nearby.

I’m quite curious, though. An ordinary weapon isn’t worth using such an Evil Technique to nurture."

His gaze swept over the numb-looking miners in the quarry.

"Are you going to come out on your own, or do I have to ’invite’ you out?"

Su Mu’s voice suddenly deepened.

Panic rippled through the crowd of miners.

At that moment, a figure slowly stepped out from among the miners.

The mine steward was taken aback. "Who are you? When did you sneak into the mine?"

He didn’t recognize the man at all.

The man merely glanced at the mine steward, who immediately looked as though he’d been struck by lightning. He stumbled backward and fell, landing hard on his bottom.

"I never thought someone would actually recognize the Mountain and River Soldier Nurturing Technique."

The man ignored the steward, turning his gaze to Su Mu as he spoke slowly.