Book 2 Chapter 66: The Great Guandao of Treasures - Martial God

Chapter 66: The Great Guandao of Treasures After a long conversation, He Yi Ming finally grasped the gist of the matter. Though He Lao Yezi's talent wasn't top-notch, reaching the tenth level of internal strength and achieving its pinnacle is not the feat of a fool. It was merely a past oversight that led to an irreversible consequence, resulting in his expulsion from the sect. Yet, in He Lao Yezi’s heart, a stubborn thought seemed entrenched — a strong desire to return to the Hengshan Sect. He Yi Ming couldn’t quite fathom this sentiment and held little yearning for Hengshan. To him, Hengshan was even less important than the Yuan family. However, in He Lao Yezi’s heart, Hengshan was where he grew up, akin to He Yi Ming’s feelings for the He family manor. As long as the slightest possibility existed, he wouldn't give up. "Back then, we made a grave mistake. When we left, aside from Senior Brother Wu Jin, all the other sect members turned their backs on us, mocking me and Laibao, claiming we'd never have a chance to return to the sect." His face tinged with an abnormal flush as he spoke, "More than forty years have passed. I thought returning to the sect was impossible, but heaven opened its eyes and blessed the He family manor with you, a godsend from above." The old man sighed deeply, "Yi Ming, grandpa truly owes you gratitude for fulfilling my final wish." He Yi Ming stood quickly, "Grandpa, what are you saying? Does your grandson need your thanks?" Despite his words, He Yi Ming mused internally about the serendipity of their lake encounter, wondering if it was indeed divine intervention. He Wu De stroked his beard, "Yi Ming, back then, Laibao and I were practically chased down the mountain by our fellow disciples. We've never forgotten that humiliation, so I gave Laibao a portion of the Essence Gold Pellet and the Extremity Gold Pellet. Within two months, he'll surely ascend to the tenth level of internal strength." His eyes shone brightly, "By then, the three of us will return to Hengshan together. I want everyone to know that not only has our He family produced an innate realm master, but Laibao and I have also become tenth-level internal force experts. I want those who shamed us to regret it deeply." He Yi Ming drew a sharp breath, astonished at his grandfather's deep-seated grudge against those who humiliated him. In that moment, an understanding dawned on him — perhaps He Lao Yezi’s attachment to the sect wasn't just about discipleship but also a need to regain face in front of those who had shamed him. His heart stirred, He Yi Ming asked, "Grandpa, you're both over eighty now, and so is Uncle Bao. But do you think, after forty years, those who shamed you are still alive?" He Wu De's eyebrows perked up, "Rest assured, Hengshan is rich with heaven and earth energy, extending its residents' lifespans by at least thirty percent. Plus, those insulting us were in their thirties at most. If I survived, they are unlikely to have perished." He Yi Ming smiled wryly, sensing the deep-rooted determination in his grandfather's resolve—an unchangeable notion beyond his influence. The older one gets, the more stubborn one becomes on certain matters—a characteristic that He Wu De undeniably embodied. Following He Lao Yezi's orders was a given for He Yi Ming, as he held no opposition and somewhat longed for Hengshan, having had no aversion to it. Grandpa had mentioned that, with his status as an innate master, joining Hengshan would guarantee a position as an elder. Elders of Hengshan surpassed even the sect master and had unrestricted access to the Hengshan Library. This privilege was reserved solely for innate realm elders. Hengshan Sect's legacy spanned three thousand years, nearly every generation boasting at least two innate masters. The wealth of knowledge in the library was beyond ordinary comprehension. Many books in the He family's library and in He Wu De's chamber were likely transcriptions from his time at Hengshan. However, given his prior status as a mere apprentice, he could only transcribe postnatal manuals—missing completely anything related to innate manuals, possessing merely an autobiographical journal akin to travel notes. Furthermore, according to He Wu De, Hengshan housed a Grand Elder surpassing ordinary elders in power. Hearing this fascinated He Yi Ming. Could this Grand Elder be someone encompassed within the legend, even more formidable than innate masters—a "Shinto" figure? The anticipation thrilled him. If not for his commitment to visit the capital of the Tian Luo Kingdom and waiting for Uncle Bao to achieve the tenth level of internal strength, he'd have departed for Hengshan without delay. He Wu De, after a few more words, abruptly shifted the conversation, "Yi Ming, although Hengshan isn’t a world-renowned major sect, its three-thousand-year foundation is formidable." He stood, walking to a corner of the room where three weapons over a meter long were placed — the three-part Great Guandao. He Wu De gently caressed the Guandao, "This old companion was secretly bestowed upon me by my master when I left Hengshan." Surprised, He Yi Ming asked, "Grandpa, Dad said you forged this yourself?" He Wu De laughed heartily, "Having been expelled from Hengshan, I dared not flaunt its name, claiming the Guandao as my creation." He sighed, "The Guandao's remarkable length and weight come not just from its precious materials but also an extraordinary forging method beyond ordinary mastery." “Grandpa, is it a treasure?” He Yi Ming was stirred. "It doesn't quite qualify as a treasure." He Wu De chuckled sadly, "If it were, my master couldn't have slipped it to me unnoticed. Nonetheless, it isn’t a treasure, but forged from treasured materials and special techniques." Puzzled, He Yi Ming asked, "Why isn’t it a treasure if made from such materials using such methods?" He Wu De sighed deeply, "Despite perfect materials and procedures, it's essentially a failed artifact—a scrap." "A scrap?" He Yi Ming’s surprise turned to concern, "Grandpa, was it flawed during crafting?" "Exactly," He Wu De lamented, "It's akin to refining a Gold Pellet only to open the furnace and find an Extremity Pellet — profoundly disappointing." He Yi Ming ran his hands over the Guandao, circulating his internal energy, causing the blade to emit a brilliant metallic sheen and a hum. A solitary smile graced his lips, pride evident in his eyes as he looked at the Guandao, seeing his triumph reflected. With a flick of his wrist, the three-part Guandao seamlessly assembled, exacerbating its vibrant resonance. He Wu De watched in astonishment, sensing an extraordinary power emanating from the Guandao. As this energy unfolded, a thrilling sensation enveloped him—a blend of killing intent and arrogance, an unparalleled dominance yet solitary arrogance, demanding submission from all before it. Unconsciously, He Wu De stepped back, knowing it wasn’t a deliberate attack from He Yi Ming, yet instinctively recoiling. His instincts refused conflict with this formidable, nearly palpable force. In a fleeting thought, he oddly perceived the arrogant aura to stem not just from He Yi Ming but the Guandao itself. Crafted from treasured materials using unique techniques, it failed due to an unknown flaw. Yet unknown to all but innate masters, this weapon was a success, albeit considered flawed—its sheer heaviness of over 360 pounds rendered it unfit for innate masters to wield. In the realm of innate masters, due to a similar reason, no matter how obscure the weapons they wield, it would be impossible for them to use this Great Guandao. For postnatal experts, the sheer weight and length of the Guandao deterred many from using it. As a result, when it was crafted, it was shelved in an armory like a forgotten artifact, never touched again. Until one day, it fell into the hands of a naturally powerful postnatal expert, who for decades spread its renown across the county. Yet, the weapon’s true potential remained untapped until He Yi Ming reached the realm of an innate master. By blending refined magnetic steel into it, he completed the final step, thus awakening the true mystical power within the Great Guandao, resurrecting this treasured artifact. Without such awakening, the feat of He Yi Ming incorporating the essence of clouds and rain into his sword play, slicing through two hundred bandits with one strike, could not have been borne by ordinary iron... Sensing the immense aura emanating from the Guandao, He Wu De's expression changed dramatically. He had never before felt anything like this from the weapon. After some time, He Yi Ming disassembled the Great Guandao and sheathed its blade. "Grandpa, regardless of whether this Great Guandao is considered a failed weapon, to me, it is the finest weapon there is." He Yi Ming caressed the blade, speaking with a reverence bordering on an oath, "In my lifetime, the Great Guandao is my weapon; man and weapon shall never part." As he spoke, the once silent blade quivered again, its hum harmonizing with He Yi Ming's words like a perfect symphony rehearsed countless times. When He Yi Ming finished speaking, the peculiar resonance vanished, the timing impeccable as if orchestrated. He Wu De opened his mouth slightly, watching He Yi Ming with a long gaze, then glanced at the Guandao. With a deep sigh, he finally remarked, "Yi Ming, I've realized that entrusting the Great Guandao to you is the most correct decision of my life." ※※※※ "Yi Ming, there's something I need to discuss with you." "Grandpa, please go ahead." "What’s your opinion of Yuan Li Ling?" He Yi Ming paused in surprise. Yuan Li Ling was the legitimate son of Yuan Cheng Zhi, likely the future head of the Yuan family. He wondered why his grandfather brought up his name. After a brief consideration, He Yi Ming shook his head, "Grandpa, although I’ve met Yuan Li Ling a few times, I don’t really know him." He casually asked in return, "Why do you mention him?" He Wu De cleared his throat, "During the bandits' raid on Taicang County, I had Laibao lead the elderly, women, and children into hiding in the back mountains. When they returned, Yi Ling seemed to have taken a liking to him." He Yi Ming's eyes widened at such a development... Initially wanting to dismiss it, thinking what could form over ten days, He paused, recalling his elder brother, He Yi Tian. After meeting Yuan Li Wen once, He Yi Tian was smitten, even enlisting He Yi Ming's help to marry her. Though He Yi Ming was at an age where he had vague feelings towards women, he wasn't naturally rebellious. Initiating pursuits wasn't his style, but he wouldn’t reject an advance either. Thus, when He Yi Tian approached him, and he met Yuan Li Xun, he acquiesced. Given He Yi Tian could fall in love at first sight, perhaps Yuan Li Ling and He Yi Ling seeing eye to eye wasn’t so far-fetched. Pondering a moment, He Yi Ming asked, "Grandpa, what do you think?" After a pause, He Wu De replied, "Laibao mentioned that the young man's character seems commendable, and his skills are up to par among his peers, so he has no objection. The only concern is that the Yuan family is quite far." He Yi Ming relaxed. Uncle Bao treated the third generation as his own children, each one close to his heart. If Uncle Bao was satisfied, there was naturally no major issue. "Grandpa, I finally understand now." He Yi Ming chuckled, "When Yuan Li Xuan and the others returned to the Yuan family, Yuan Li Ling wouldn't leave, claiming he hit it off with my brother and wanted to learn some skills. Turns out, learning skills was just a pretext to win over Fourth Sister." He Wu De's lips curled slightly, clearly realizing the involved strategy hadn’t escaped his wise eyes. "Well, we'll see how lucky that kid gets. If he truly wins over Yi Ling, then we'll bless them." With a hearty laugh, He Wu De walked out of the room. After the elder left, He Yi Ming sighed inwardly. Truth be told, the old man accepted this match due to the Yuan family’s noble stature, well-matched to the He family. Moreover, Yuan Zhe Yu shared a life-and-death bond with the elder, tilting his favor. Had Yuan Li Ling been a powerless and mediocre young man, Grandpa might have obstructed the union. Even after the old man left, He Yi Ming felt unsettled and walked outside. In another courtyard room, Yuan Li Xun sat embroidering something. He Yi Ming coughed lightly, prompting Yuan Li Xun to startle. She tidied her work and approached, "Young Master, has the elder left?" "Yes." He Yi Ming nodded slightly, "I wanted to ask you something." "Please ask, Young Master." "Yuan Li Ling, he's your brother, right? What kind of person is he?" Yuan Li Xun hesitated, glancing at He Yi Ming’s face for clues but finding none. She could only bite her lip and reply, "Young Master, Li Ling is the eldest son of my father's legitimate wife. He’s been clever and much-loved since childhood. Though only a few years my senior, he's reached the sixth level of internal strength and is seen as a core figure in the Yuan family’s new generation." As she spoke, mixed emotions welled up within her. Despite being a child of the same father, the treatment Yuan Li Ling received since young was far beyond what she and her siblings experienced. After hearing this, He Yi Ming maintained his composed expression, "And his conduct? Any misconduct or blemishes?" With a chill in her heart, Yuan Li Xun didn’t know why He Yi Ming inquired so. Yet, she didn't dare conceal, "Li Ling is approachable, gentle, and with impeccable conduct—absolutely no blemishes." Her stern and unequivocal evaluation came from deep within; unquestionable despite being about her half-brother. Only then did He Yi Ming smile, "I see." Yuan Li Xun mustered courage to ask, "Young Master, why do you inquire about Li Ling's character?" Not hiding his intentions, He Yi Ming explained, "I heard from Grandpa that my Fourth Sister and your brother seem to have developed a fondness for each other. I wasn’t sure about Li Ling's character, thus asked you. Since he appears decent, let's give them time to interact and see. Wanting to marry into the He family isn’t so easy, you know," he chuckled. Thoughts swirling, Yuan Li Xun’s heart was a tempest of mixed feelings...