Chapter 19: Explosive Cultivation Increase

Translator: Atlas Studios  Editor: Atlas Studios

The Forging Division, 97th Workshop…

Zhou Shu’s upper body was bare as he swung his hammer repeatedly.

His almost perfect muscles moved rhythmically with his movements, and beads of sweat flowed from his shiny skin onto the ground.

His predecessor’s body was a little frail. But after cultivating the Dragon Elephant Prajna Technique, his body gradually evolved into perfection.

I’ve forged another one! Zhou Shu threw the forged Huben Saber into a nearby box as if he was throwing away trash.

Ever since he forged the Hundred Refinements Ring Pommel Saber, Zhou Shu no longer looked at Huben Sabers with favor.

After all, the sharpness of Hundred Refinements Ring Pommel Saber was comparable to that of Huben Sabers, but its sturdiness was two levels higher.

But the Hundred Refinements Ring Pommel Saber had yet to be exposed. Under the current circumstances, Zhou Shu still had to rely on the Huben Saber to complete the Forging Division’s task.

After killing the man that day, Zhou Shu ran back to the workshop and immediately threw his clothes into the smelting furnace and burned them to ashes.

He had also hidden the Hundred Refinements Ring Pommel Saber in a deep pit he dug.

Although he was sure that no one had followed him, there were elite martial arts in this world. Who knew if someone would be able to use some strange magical power to track him?

Of course, even if they found him, he was not afraid.

He had acted in self-defense. In addition, the man might be a spy from an enemy country. Even if he had killed him, he would still have merit!

Even so, Zhou Shu still felt uneasy for a few days.

Afterward, no one came to look for him. He gradually relaxed and returned to his usual days.

He didn’t know that it was because Ma Fengzhang was afraid of his cultivation and forbade anyone from investigating.

He also didn’t know that the blade marks he had left on the walls of the secret chamber due to his lack of control caused two people to enter the ranks. There might be even more people who would benefit from the marks in the future.

Zhou Shu was still thinking about how to get a promotion and raise his salary to improve his standard of living.

The current Zhou Shu was no longer the newbie who didn’t know anything.

After these days of asking indirect questions, he had basically understood the situation of this world.

In this world, the best way to stand out was to become a ranked martial artist.

Once one became a ranked martial artist, they would immediately rise above others. It wouldn’t be a problem for them to receive a high position or a generous salary.

Even if they didn’t want to become an official, the Imperial Court would provide them with a large sum of money. They wouldn’t have to worry about food and drink for the rest of their life.

Second, this world also had imperial examinations. Those who passed the imperial examinations could also become officials.

Other than this, a soldier had the possibility of becoming a general.

None of these was the best path for Zhou Shu.

To him, the best and closest path was to become a Forging Master, a High-level Forging Master, a Grand Craftsman, a Divine Craftsman…

In Great Xia, the status of Forging Masters was not much lower than that of ranked martial artists.

Of course, the difficulty of becoming a Forging Master was comparable to that of becoming a ranked martial artist. It might be even more difficult.

But even if he couldn’t become a Forging Master, he could still be promoted and get a raise as a Forging Apprentice.

Within the Forging Division, there was a complete system. As a Forging Apprentice’s age and forging skills increased, he would get better treatment.

Zhou Shu and Zhang Yibei were both Forging Apprentices, but Zhou Shu’s monthly stipend was half a tael of silver, while Zhang Yibei, an experienced Forging Apprentice, received one tael monthly.

Zhou Shu was thinking about how he could show off his weapon forging skills while ensuring his safety.

It would be great if he could get a salary increase or get Xiao Zongshui to change his living environment.

[You receive a reward of two years of cultivation because the Huben Saber you forged effectively completed a kill!]

[You receive a reward of two years of cultivation because the Huben Saber you forged effectively completed a kill!]

[You receive a reward of two years of cultivation because the Huben Saber you forged effectively completed a kill!]

…

Suddenly, a barrage of messages flashed in front of Zhou Shu’s eyes. He didn’t even know how many messages had flashed in total.

Boom! A violent power descended from the sky and poured into his body without any reason.

Zhou Shu’s face flushed red, and his eyes bulged. It was as if all the blood vessels in his body were about to explode.

“Ah…” Zhou Shu let out a deep growl. He gripped the ground tightly with both hands. His fingernails had flipped over, but he seemed not to notice at all. Blood dyed the ground red.

His face was ferocious, and there seemed to be earthworms undulating on the surface of his body.

After some time, just as Zhou Shu almost couldn’t endure it anymore, the surging energy finally halted.

After taking a few deep breaths, Zhou Shu regained his senses and thought with some lingering fear, What happened? Did Cheng Wanli lead the Huben Troops to rebel?

In a short period, the Huben Sabers killed countless people.

This means the Huben Troops completed many kills in a short time!

The Huben Troops are Imperial Guards formed in the imperial capital of Great Xia. Under what circumstances can they kill so many people?

Either they rebelled…

Or someone rebelled…

But no matter what, it’s impossible for the Forging Division to remain idle.

Is there something I am unaware of?

Zhou Shu shook his head and decided not to think about these things.

No matter the reason, he got the benefits.

In that short period, Zhou Shu’s cultivation had risen by more than two hundred years. The Dragon Elephant Prajna Technique had directly broken through to the seventh level, and Zhou Shu wasn’t far from reaching the eighth level!

There was some lingering fear as Zhou Shu felt the explosive power in his body.

It was a good thing that his cultivation had increased dramatically, but he had almost exploded because of it.

If he had exploded, then his death would have been too unjust!

So the upper limit of the Legendary Armament Canon is to protect me.

Originally, Zhou Shu had been somewhat resentful that the number on the page of the sharp standard long saber in the Divine Armament Canon had stopped increasing after reaching a hundred.

But now, he realized that it was a protective mechanism.

If the number was too high, and if they all effectively completed kills at the same time, the power Zhou Shu would receive wouldn’t be something he could endure.

Being stuffed to death by his own increasing cultivation wasn’t a good way to die.

Two hundred years of cultivation means that the Huben Sabers I forged completed at least a hundred kills. Zhou Shu was startled. Only a small portion of the Huben Troops was using the Huben Sabers he forged. If those sabers already completed a hundred kills, how many people did the entire Huben Troops kill? Were they really involved in a war?

Fortunately, my cultivation increased to the seventh level of the Dragon Elephant Prajna Technique. With my Heavenly Saber Art, even if a war breaks out in Grand Xia, my chances of survival should be much higher than others. With more than two hundred years of cultivation and having mastered the seventh level of the Dragon Elephant Prajna Technique, Zhou Shu felt slightly at ease for the first time since coming to this world.

With this strength, he was no longer a weak ant at the mercy of others but a strong ant…

Zhou Shu had an impulse to dig out the Hundred Refinements Ring Pommel Saber and play with it.

But before he could do anything, a shout came from outside the door.

“Zhou Shu!”

“Zhang Yibei!”

“…”

“Sixth Brother Wu!”

“…”

Names were shouted one after another.

“Gather at the testing ground! The rest of you are to stay in your residences and are not allowed to leave!” Xiao Zongshui’s voice echoed throughout the 97th Workshop.

Zhou Shu’s heart trembled. He realized that the names Xiao Zongshui called were all names of the Forging Apprentices who had participated in the production of the Huben Sabers. Something really happened!

The Huben Troops had just started a massacre with the Huben Sabers, and Xiao Zongshui immediately gathered the apprentices who had participated in forging the Huben Sabers.

Thinking back to the spy who had died at his hands, Zhou Shu had a vague guess.

After hesitating for a moment, Zhou Shu didn’t dig out the Hundred Refinements Ring Pommel Saber.

Even if he didn’t have a weapon, he had the Dragon Elephant Prajna Technique, so he wasn’t completely helpless.

If anything really happened, there was no shortage of sabers in the 97th Workshop.

Zhou Shu found a shirt and put it on before pushing the door open and walking toward the testing ground.

Along the way, people greeted him.

These Forging Apprentices didn’t know what had happened, and all of them had smiles on their faces.

Ever since they participated in forging the Huben Sabers, their lives had undergone tremendous changes.

First, they received a large sum of money. Then their monthly salary increased. This was already a very happy thing for them, who were workers.

They thought that Superintendent Xiao had rewards for them this time too.

Zhou Shu saw that they were in high spirits and couldn’t bear to strike them. Perhaps I guessed wrongly this time?

When they arrived, Xiao Zongshui was already standing in the testing ground.

His expression was solemn, and he didn’t make a sound.

Zhou Shu saw that Xiao Zongshui was holding a saber today!

At his waist hung a sheathed long saber. It looked like a standard long saber, but who knew if it was a Huben!

Around the testing ground were fully armed soldiers holding sabers. They wore masks, hiding their expressions, and their cold eyes were brimming with murderous intent.

A storm was brewing in the testing ground.

Although Zhang Yibei and the others didn’t know what had happened, they could feel the oppressive atmosphere. All of them fell silent.

Soon, all forty apprentices arrived.

Xiao Zongshui’s cold gaze swept across everyone.

He held the handle of the saber and took a step forward. “On the twenty-eighth of June, where did you go? What did you do? Who did you meet? Come one by one and explain it to me clearly!”

June 28th was the day that Xiao Zongshui had given everyone a day off after the three-month rush.

It was also the day Zhou Shu had killed the spy.

It was also the day when the Huben Sabers had been handed over to the Huben Troops and one of them had immediately gone missing!

It’s really about that! Zhou Shu thought.

“Zhou Shu, you first!” Xiao Zongshui’s voice sounded in Zhou Shu’s ear.

“Me?” Zhou Shu looked at Xiao Zongshui in surprise. Others might not know, but do you, Xiao Zongshui, not know? I am the creator of the Huben Saber. Why would I do that?

Xiao Zongshui didn’t even look at him and shouted coldly, “Speak!”

Clang! The soldiers around the testing ground unsheathed half of their sabers at the same time.. A sharp, murderous aura filled the testing ground.