Chapter 55

The Yanhuang Academy also had a weapons storage room, something Li Mang had not known before. It was located beneath the underground training base and required a steward to lead the way, passing through multiple strict inspections before they finally reached their destination, a secret hall with the characters 'Huang Pin' (Yellow Grade) carved on the door.

Inside the hall, weapons were densely arranged, including all eighteen types of weapons: swords, sabers, bows, long spears, daggers, staffs, and even axes and hammers.

To be honest, these were all common cold weapons, with nothing particularly special about their appearance. However, their craftsmanship and materials were quite unique, making them sturdy and sharp, which were their most prominent features. After all, they were just the lowest-grade Yellow Grade weapons, so one shouldn't have too high expectations.

"The swords and sabers can cut through iron like butter, and the staffs and clubs are indestructible. They are rare treasures in the world, crafted by the Yanhuang weapon masters. Each piece is priceless, costing millions just in production, and their market value is even higher, reaching tens of millions." Seeing Li Mang's disappointment, Yang Fan introduced them voluntarily. However, he didn't choose for Li Mang, saying, "You can freely choose any weapon in this hall based on your preference and discernment. However, I suggest you select a short weapon like a dagger. After all, you can't carry a large saber or a long spear everywhere."

"Alright!" Li Mang agreed, but this was just out of politeness. In fact, he preferred long sabers and long spears, which could be more effective in the Shanhaijing space. Of course, it wasn't that he disliked daggers. As Yang Fan said, daggers could be more useful in reality, but he could only choose one, and Li Mang found it hard to let go.

He pretended to walk to the dagger section first, casually picking a ten-inch-long dagger. When he drew it, a beam of light shot into his eyes, making him squint.

The first impression the dagger gave him was its beauty. The blade shimmered with a brilliant light, and the craftsmanship was exquisite. There was only one raised line on the blade, which not only added to its aesthetic appeal but also reinforced the blade's structure, rather than just focusing on appearance at the expense of quality.

Additionally, the edge of the dagger was extremely fine, giving a cold sensation just by looking at it, a feeling that only a sharp blade could produce. However, Li Mang also doubted its durability. Although a thin edge was sharp, it was also more prone to damage according to common sense.

"There are wooden and iron pieces nearby for testing," Yang Fan kindly reminded him. He had brought people to choose weapons before and knew what Li Mang was thinking.

"Will I have to pay if it breaks?" Li Mang asked before testing it. Each dagger cost millions, and if he had to pay, the million he just received would be like a meat bun thrown to a dog.

"Of course not!" Yang Fan found it amusing.

"Snap!"

Li Mang lightly sliced a thick piece of wood with the dagger, and the wrist-thick stick was cleanly cut in half, with a smooth cut. This showed the dagger's sharpness. After being surprised, he examined the blade and found that the thin edge was completely undamaged.

"Amazing!" Li Mang couldn't help but praise. He then picked up a steel bar with a diameter of about six millimeters and forcefully cut it.

"Screech!"

Sparks flew immediately. Despite the resistance, the steel bar was barely cut, and more surprisingly, the blade remained undamaged, showing its sturdiness.

Li Mang was already tempted but ultimately forced himself to put it back and walked to the long saber section. There were about ten long sabers of various shapes. He finally chose one that suited him, about a meter long, with a moderate size.

When he drew the saber, the blade also emitted a dazzling light, indicating that it was made of the same material and craftsmanship as the dagger.

"Screech!"

The thick steel bar was easily cut, with a sharpness and sturdiness no less than the dagger. What made Li Mang even happier was that the long saber was very comfortable to handle, perfectly fitting his preferences.

Now, Li Mang was hesitant, unsure which to choose. The hall had many other weapons, but Li Mang didn't dare to look further. Two choices were already enough to make him indecisive. If he saw a large number of weapons he liked, how could he make a choice?

After some thought, Li Mang looked at Yang Fan naively and asked, "Steward Yang, can I choose one more? I can pay for it."

He liked both the dagger and the long saber very much, and they had different uses, both being highly practical. It was really hard to let go of either!

"..." Yang Fan adjusted his black-rimmed glasses, finding it amusing but understanding Li Mang's behavior. He had been the same in the past. After a moment of thought, he said, "The weapons in the storage room cannot be sold, but according to the rules, you can choose a Yellow Grade weapon once every twenty years of cultivation. I can only allow you to choose one in advance."

"Thank you, Steward Yang." Li Mang ultimately chose the long saber and the dagger he had tested. After completing the necessary procedures, he left with great satisfaction. With these two weapons, his overall strength would greatly improve, whether in the Shanhaijing space or the real world.

"One million will soon be transferred to your account. The medicine prepared by the Ghost Doctor may take some time to receive. You can go to the library to supplement your knowledge, which will be beneficial for you."

On the way back to the Ninth Group's courtyard from the underground weapons storage, Yang Fan said to Li Mang, "There's one more thing. Be careful of the Eighth Group's people. This time, they not only lost a member but also had their face wiped clean by you. They won't let it go. Moreover, Liu Junqian is Liu Junchi's older brother, and he died because of you. Liu Junchi won't let it go either."

"I understand." Li Mang's heart sank, but he wasn't afraid in the Yanhuang Academy. He was more worried about being targeted by the Eighth Group in the outside world.

...

In the following days, Li Mang resumed his normal life at the Yanhuang Academy. He worked during the day or read books in the library, and in the afternoon, he went to the underground training base for Cheng Wei's brutal training as scheduled. Every early morning, he entered the Shanhaijing space for two to three hours, enjoying wild game while continuously using realgar to open the Yuanyi Mountain. After these days of effort, the fourth mountain in the Nanshan range was almost within reach.

Every day, Li Mang lived a fulfilling life, with his strength improving rapidly. According to Cheng Wei, he already had the strength of a cultivator with seventeen to eighteen years of cultivation, not far from the twenty-year mark. Twenty years of cultivation was a small hurdle for cultivators, and once crossed, there would be no pressure from realms until fifty years of cultivation.

At this moment, Yang Fan called him and they went together to the Ghost Doctor's residence. The tiger snake medicine he had been waiting for was finally ready. Li Mang was very excited, hoping to use this opportunity to break through the realm of twenty years of cultivation.

"Steward Yang, thank you for the invitation!" The Eighth Group's steward, Cai Cai, whom Li Mang hadn't seen for some time, met Yang Fan and Li Mang, and he greeted them with a forced smile.

What made Li Mang's smile fade was that Cai Cai was followed by someone he knew, Liu Junchi, who had lost to him. Liu Junchi was also looking at Li Mang, his eyes frequently flashing with a fierce light.

...

PS: I got up in the middle of the night to write and catch up on yesterday's update.