Daqin Zhentiansi

Chapter 1021 The Venerable One Visits the City in Disguise; His Extraordinary Brilliance Moves the H

A clear dent was smashed into the surface of the black stone, and fragments of stone flew everywhere.

The dark armor plate blank only left a shallow white mark at the point of impact; the runes flowed, and the white mark quickly disappeared.

"What a hard embryo!" A Shadowcat warrior who was squeezed in at the front had his eyes shining and couldn't help but reach out to touch it.

"Rules!" a human soldier maintaining order reminded them in a deep voice, though his tone wasn't stern. "You're allowed to look, but not touch or tamper with anything! If you want to try something, follow the instructions on the signs over there!"

The Shadowcat warrior sheepishly withdrew his hand and looked at a wooden sign standing beside him.

The signs are marked with common text and simple illustrations. To test the hardness, you need to pay a low-level magic crystal or equivalent material, and the stall owner will personally demonstrate it.

Xingheng and Yunji also squeezed closer.

Xingheng's gaze lingered for a moment on the armor plate blank that was almost undamaged after the heavy blow, then swept over the pile of "Star Sinking Iron Ore" that was obviously just brought over by the Rock Armor Clan.

Finally, it landed in the hands of the burly Bull Demon Clan man, his hands covered in calluses, his knuckles thick, clearly those of a blacksmith.

“Interesting.” Xingheng winked at Yunji, took out a small cloth bag from his pocket, poured out a few low-grade magic crystals of average quality, and handed them to the human soldier next to him. “Brother, please, we also want to test the quality of this raw material.”

The sergeant examined the magic crystal, nodded, and said to the burly man from the Bull Demon Clan, "Brother Black Horn, these two merchants want to test the armor plates."

The burly man from the Bull Demon Clan grinned, revealing a set of white teeth, looking both honest and shrewd: "Alright!"

He picked up the piece of armor blank he had just seen, and then grabbed a heavy blacksmith's hammer with an angular head.

"Please take a good look, sir!"

He took a deep breath, his muscles bulged, and with a low shout, the hammer slammed into the center of the armor plate with a dull thud!

"clang--!!!"

An even more ear-piercing clang of metal rang out!

A visible shockwave spread out from the point of impact, making the eardrums of those around vibrate.

The armor plate trembled violently, and a deep crater instantly formed at its center!

However, just as the deep pit was about to burst open, the seemingly simple rune lines inside the armor plate suddenly lit up!

A layer of resilient, steady, and earth-like golden halo instantly covered the surface of the armor plate.

Under the flowing light, the deep pit seemed to be "pushed" back at a speed visible to the naked eye, as if it were alive!

Within a few breaths, the crater disappeared, the armor plate returned to its flat state, leaving only a faint impact mark, and the rune light slowly faded away.

"Bravo!" cheers erupted from the crowd.

The Shadowcat warriors and several other survivors stared in disbelief.

"See that?" The burly man from the Bull Demon Clan wiped his sweat, his tone filled with pride.

"These runes are 'Solid Rock' carved by the master craftsmen of the weapon-forging workshop personally trained by the Fire Commander!"

"It's not just for show!"

"It can draw upon a trace of the earth's power to repair damage to its armor plates! As long as it's not smashed through completely, it can 'grow' back up on its own, even with small dents and dents! It saves so much time and materials on repairs!"

Xingheng's pupils contracted almost imperceptibly.

He stepped forward and, with the tacit approval of the soldiers and strong men, extended his finger and gently touched the piece of armor plate blank that had just withstood a heavy blow.

It feels cold and hard to the touch.

But when his fingertips traced the faint impact marks and the hidden runes below, an extremely faint yet exceptionally clear sense of resonance instantly spread throughout his body from his fingertips!

That wasn't a simple fluctuation of spiritual energy.

That was... a tremor of will!

A protective will deeply rooted in the earth, tempered by blood and fire, yet unyielding!

It is tough and robust, just like Chentieling itself.

Deep within this will, Xingheng keenly sensed a more subtle, sharper, and more unstoppable force, like a peerless edge hidden in its sheath.

Those are the indomitable fighting spirits of another world, another race!

The two forces intertwined and resonated perfectly within this seemingly rough armor plate, forming the prototype of a brand new and vibrant "domain"!

Xingheng's fingers paused on the nail plate for a few breaths, as if sensing the silent pulse.

He raised his head, looked at the burly man from the Bull Demon Clan, and a merchant's usual smile, tinged with amazement, appeared on his face: "Fine armor! Fine runes! Truly miraculous skill!"

"How do we exchange this raw material and that 'Star-Sinking Iron Ore'?"

"The raw materials are priced by weight and by quality!" The burly man pointed to another wooden sign next to him, which also had a detailed exchange chart with pictures and text.

"One pound of top-quality 'rock-solid' raw material can be exchanged for ten pounds of refined iron ingots of the same weight, or three 'Purifying Flame Exorcising Talismans,' or one and a half bottles of 'Rejuvenation Powder'!"

"If you use the 'battle merit coupons' newly issued by the mistress, it's even more cost-effective! Only one grade C coupon is needed per pound!"

He then pointed to the pile of Starfall Iron ore next to him: "The raw ore is cheaper, but it requires smelting and refining yourself, which is a lot of work."

"One pound of raw ore, in exchange for two pounds of refined iron, or an exorcism talisman, or half a bottle of rejuvenating powder!"

"Use war merit coupons, one pound of raw ore for half a grade C coupon!"

"Battle merit coupons?" Yun Ji interjected at the opportune moment, revealing just the right amount of merchant curiosity. "This is quite novel. What are they? Can I take a look?"

"Here!" The burly man from the Bull Demon Clan pulled out a small stack of pale yellow parchment, about half the size of a palm, from his robes.

The edges of the parchment are neatly cut and printed with fine anti-counterfeiting cloud patterns.

At the center is a burning beacon tower pattern made of simple lines.

Below is the serial number "丙字叁佰柒拾伍" and the character "壹" representing the face value, with a line of smaller text next to it.

"This voucher can be exchanged for equivalent goods or converted into merit points at the Blood Mill Market," and is signed with a small "Yuan" character seal.

"This is a Class C 'Battle Merit Spirit Crystal Coupon,' worth a low-grade spirit crystal!" the burly man explained, carefully pulling out one and handing it to Yunji.

"The rules set by the mistress are so convenient! We can get these coupons by working among ourselves, killing monsters, and turning in quests."

"With these coupons, you can buy grain, medicine, tools, and even pay tuition to learn a trade at the weapon-making workshop in this big city!"

"It's much more convenient than carrying around a bunch of spirit crystals or lugging goods around!"

"Reputation? Heh, the words of Fire Commander and Mistress are harder than spirit crystals in this million-mile-long Blood Millstone region!"

Yunji took the small leather voucher. It felt slightly heavy in his hand, its texture far more durable than ordinary paper, clearly indicating that it had undergone special treatment. His fingertips also brushed against it, sensing the extremely faint yet resilient and clear aura of the Heavenly Dao Golden Net contained in the beacon fire mark on the voucher, as well as the undeniable imprint of personal will emanating from the character "远" (Yuan).

This thin piece of paper represents a brand-new credit system based on strong military force and personal prestige, which is growing wildly in this chaotic land.

“It’s really convenient.” Yunji handed the voucher back, nodded, and said to Xingheng, “Boss Xing, I think this raw material and ore are worth buying.”

"Especially these rune blanks, if brought back to the pass and resold to those small family private soldiers, the profit will be considerable."

Xingheng understood and immediately started talking to the burly man from the Bull Demon Clan, haggling over the price. In the end, he exchanged a small bag of mid-grade spirit crystals and several bottles of good-quality strengthening pills for dozens of kilograms of top-quality "rock-solid" armor plate blanks and a large piece of star-sinking iron ore.

The transaction went smoothly. Although the bull demon was rough and tough, he was meticulous in calculating accounts and inspecting goods, clearly indicating that he had been trained.

After the transaction was completed, the two had their servants move the goods back to the oxcart and continued to stroll seemingly casually through the market.

Xingheng's gaze, however, was like a precise probe, constantly scanning the inner logic of this peculiar market.

They saw the hill dwarves lining up to exchange bags of refined iron ingots for finished, exquisite parts labeled "Rock Armor Joint Reinforcement" and a few bottles of strong liquor.

The dwarven blacksmiths examined the parts closely, their eyes gleaming with the light of discovery.

I saw the Feathered People using the rare wind-attribute herbs they had gathered and the light, resilient feathers of the magical birds to exchange for lightweight leather armor lining materials and healing powder at another supply depot.

Several young women of the Feathered People carefully stroked the soft leather, their faces showing rare smiles.

I saw the agile warriors of the Shadowcat tribe trading low-level Shadow Demon cores and terrain maps they had hunted for a small poisoned dagger and specially made "stealth powder" at a stall with a sign that read "Scout Equipment".

There was no exploitation by the Heavenly Palace Supplies Department, nor the fraud and forced buying and selling common in the black market.

The trading rules here are simple, direct, and relatively fair, with the core focus on survival, combat, and advancement.

What the human race provided was the security, basic survival supplies, and a ladder to greater power that the remnants desperately needed.

Tools, talismans, and skills can all be exchanged.

What the survivors contributed was their labor, local specialties, and the gradually building sense of community.

Hands, some rough and some skillful, passed between bags of food, piles of ore, weapon racks, and bottles of pills. What they exchanged was not just supplies, but also a faint hope of sticking together for warmth and struggling to survive in the despairing demon realm.

The key to keeping all of this running is that name that has never appeared but is omnipresent: Zhang Yuan.

"Many grains of sand make a tower, many small contributions make a whole..." Xingheng stopped in a relatively quiet corner.

Gazing at the majestic silhouette of Chentieling in the distance, illuminated by the golden light of the beacon towers, he spoke in a low voice, barely audible to Yunji beside him, “He is not only guarding the pass, but also laying the foundation.”

“Using this blood millstone as a furnace, the remnants of all races as firewood, and blood and fire as a hammer, forge—no, forge—the foundation of a completely new ‘domain’ that belongs to him.”

“This ‘blood mill’ is the first branch that grew from this foundation.”

Yunji remained silent for a moment, his gaze sweeping over the faces of the various races whose eyes were gradually brightening during the transaction, and slowly said, "Very efficient. Much more efficient than the bloated palace officials and scheming aristocratic families under the Heavenly Palace."

"There are no red tape, no layers of deductions, everything is for survival and fighting. Once this pure 'momentum' snowballs, Xingheng, do you think that Master... is merely 'indulging' it?"

Xingheng's lips curled into a deep smile: "Indulgence? Junior Brother Yun, look at the runes on these armor plates, look at the markings on those leather certificates, and look at the awe these survivors show to the words 'Fire General'..."

"What Master saw was probably the only 'outlier' in this stagnant, primordial chess game that could stir up the winds and clouds and break the deadlock. A sharp blade that might hurt the hand, but more likely to cut through the shackles."

He paused, lowering his voice even further, with an indescribable undertone.

“One who might be able to inherit the important task of the ‘Chaos Trial Grounds’, or even… go further.”

Yunji abruptly turned to look at Xingheng, his usually cold eyes revealing an undisguised shock for the first time: "Senior brother, are you referring to the first new disciple under Master in a million years?"

This possibility is too bold, too astonishing.

The Celestial Venerable is transcendent, and his twelve personal disciples are already legendary figures from the primordial era, holding an incomparably revered position.

Will you take on another disciple? Or another human?

Xingheng did not answer directly, but cast his gaze deeper into the market, where the temperature was obviously higher, the clanging of forging was like a dense war drum, and the air was filled with the scorching smell of iron.

"Go and see where these armor plates were actually made."

……

The weapon crafting area is the most vibrant and bustling heart of the entire market.

Dozens of huge open forging furnaces roared with flames, turning half the sky a dark red.

The heatwave was intense, and sparks, like mischievous sprites, kept shooting, dancing, and dying out in the scorching air.

The flow of people is more concentrated here.

Bare-chested, muscular men from various ethnic groups, drenched in sweat, lined up in long queues, the air thick with the smells of sweat, rust, and burnt animal fat.

The shouts, the booming of hammers, the hissing of steam rising during quenching, and the rough, loud shouts and instructions of the craftsmen intertwine to form a primitive yet powerful symphony.

Xingheng and Yunji's gazes were instantly drawn to a figure in front of a furnace.

He was a giant, as tall as an iron tower.

He was wearing only a thick leather apron that had been scorched with countless holes by sparks.

The bronze-colored upper body looks as if it were cast.

Every muscle bulged high.

It gleamed with an oily sheen under the firelight, covered with alternating old and new scorch marks.

He wasn't forging iron himself; instead, he was holding two arms as thick as old tree roots, his eyes sharp as a hawk's, scanning the long line of young men from various ethnic groups ahead.

Several equally capable assistants stood beside him, one of whom, an elderly man with one arm, was shouting in a booming voice.

"Next! Raise the hammer! Smash!"

A young man from the Bull Demon Clan stepped forward nervously, looked at a piece of fine iron blank that was burning red on the anvil, and then looked at the forging hammers on the ground that weighed between three hundred and one thousand catties. He roared, grabbed the eight hundred catty giant hammer, and smashed it down with all his might!

"boom!"

Sparks flew everywhere, and a large dent appeared in the iron blank.

"You've got the strength! But your control is terrible! The landing point is off by half an inch! Want to learn blacksmithing? First, go work as a laborer at the 'Thousand Hammers and Hundred Forging Workshop' for three months and learn to hold the hammer steady for me! Next!"

The one-armed old man, Chen Tieshou, roared mercilessly.

The young bull demon retreated dejectedly, but didn't leave. Instead, he squeezed into a corner to observe the others taking the assessment. (End of Chapter)