I proved immortality through the imperial examination.

Chapter 200 Upgrading Divine Weapons
After finishing their business, Xue Xiang was about to get up and take his leave when Wei Fan suddenly raised his hand, gesturing for him to sit for a while.

"Don't rush off."

Wei Fan said, "There's a big event happening today, you should go and see it for yourself."

Xue Xiang was slightly taken aback. "A grand event?"

"A grand feast for viewing the monument."

Wei Fan put down his pen, leaned back in his chair, and slowly said, "This time, there was a slight accident with the Wen Dao Stele in Jiannan Prefecture, and the Confucian scholars of Jiannan Prefecture also came to contemplate the Wen Dao Stele."

It was a grand event for cultural exchange between the two states, and in order to coordinate all parties, the Second Hall—oh, now called the Hall of Rites—also sent someone to preside over it.

The state government intended to make it a grand event and organized this monument viewing banquet.

The gathering was a grand affair, with business dealings taking place on the stage, attracting representatives from powerful clans, religious groups, and even foreign envoys from various regions.

Come with me and take a look.

Xue Xiang had heard Xun Sizhou mention it briefly, but he wasn't interested. "Students don't like crowds, so it's better to stay home and read."

Wei Fan laughed and said, "Don't try to play the escapist card; that's just foolish thinking."

Observation is secondary; remembering people and understanding the situation are the primary tasks.

Young people can't just bury themselves in their studies all the time; they also need to learn to discern the coldness and warmth of human relationships amidst the whispers of the wind, and to see through the ways of the world and the hearts of men.

"promise."

Xue bowed.

………………

On the shore of the lake south of Canglan City, countless lights twinkle.

Wei Fan and Xue Xiang arrived by carriage. Halfway there, they could already see the light and shadow spreading across the water in the distance, stretching all the way to the horizon. That was where the grand banquet to view the stele was to be held.

Seven floating bridges span the lake, all secured by talisman arrays. The bridges are inlaid with glazed tiles, and the firelight flickers in the water, resembling seven golden rainbows.

Colorful banners hung all around, embroidered with the seals of the two state academies and the emblems of various sects.

Chunxi Garden, built by the lake, is a magnificent manor of the highest caliber in Canglan Prefecture.

At this moment, the banks on both sides were already teeming with carriages and horses.

Xue Xiang followed Wei Fan into the garden and saw guests from all over the country moving about, dressed in brocade robes and wearing imposing hats.

A minor official from the Ministry of Internal Affairs was directing his servants to set up a literary table on one side and a commercial table on the other in the lakeside corridor.

Jade artifacts, elixirs, magic brushes, letters, ancient scrolls, and unfinished artifacts were all on display; laughter and the sounds of flutes and drums mingled together, creating a lively and continuous atmosphere.

Wei Fan stepped out of the carriage, straightened his sleeves, and laughed, "See? This is the true spirit of humanity."

Xue Xiang nodded.

As far as his eyes could see, he saw scholars in tall hats and wide sleeves, some forming societies to discuss poetry, others drinking and expressing their feelings.

Merchants and sect disciples mingled among them, chatting and laughing as they traded.

Furthermore, a foreign delegation stood outside the waterside pavilion, clad in feathered robes, their words filled with curiosity.

A lake breeze blows, carrying the aroma of paper, ink, and wine, while countless lights illuminate the night like day.

On the stage, someone had already ascended to recite a poem. The literary energy shone brightly, soaring into the sky and transforming into a red dragon that tumbled in mid-air, eliciting cheers from the entire audience.

Wei Fan glanced at the scholarly dragon figure and said indifferently, "Young people like to show off."

Before long, someone picked up Wei Fan and pointed to a golden archway on the west side.

Xue Xiang noticed that behind the golden archway was a three-story red building, built by the water, with an excellent view.

He guessed that the Red Mansion must be a higher-level social venue.

Wei Fanchong greeted Xue Xiang, "You stay here for now and experience the everyday life. If you want to go over there, just tell me your name."

After saying this, he left with the attendant.

Xue Xiang strolled slowly through the garden.

The lake shimmered like silk, the lights shimmered, and guests thronged the shore.

He could tell that the Canglan government was using this monument viewing as an opportunity to turn the gathering into a major event to revitalize the economy.

Various chambers of commerce set up booths to display their valuable resources, which were piled up like mountains.

Not far away, there were also clerks from the Commercial Affairs Department working on-site, registering tax records.

Some people were selling elixirs, while others were bidding on talisman brushes; the fragrance of elixirs and the scent of ink mingled together.

Even more impressively, young scholars exchanged poems for goods and wielded their brushes on the ground, attracting many onlookers.

He strolled through a corridor and suddenly heard someone calling out from ahead. Looking up, he saw three people standing under the sandalwood pavilion outside the corridor.

The leader, dressed in snow-white robes with a blue sash around his waist, had sharp, clear features and a calm, cold demeanor—it was none other than Gu Jianchen.

He remains in first place on the leaderboard.

At that time, Xue Xiang subdued the Dao Yun Golden Body, and this person was also there, so they had some dealings with each other.

To Gu Jianchen's left stood a man in a wide-sleeved brocade robe, looking flustered; it was Yin Tianci.

The young master of the Tongjiang School coveted Song Tingfang and mistakenly believed Xue Xiang to be his rival. He plotted against Xue Xiang but was instead dealt a severe blow by Xue Xiang.

The woman standing in the pavilion, dressed in light blue with flowers in her hair, exuded composure and self-assurance. She was none other than Song Tingfang, Xue Xiang's uncle-in-law and the head of the Fengshi Bureau.

Xue Xiang had heard from Xun Sizhou that Song Tingfang had independently completed the purple-level mission and had also improved her ranking to the top ten.

"I've met my uncle."

Xue Xiang bowed respectfully and asked, "How is Zhiwei doing? I haven't received a letter from her."

Liu Zhiwei went to a distant trial, and occasionally sent letters back.

Xue Xiang would reply to the letters at the address agreed upon. Lately, he had been so busy that he had lost contact with Liu Zhiwei.

But he knew that Liu Zhiwei and Song Tingfang were the closest of friends, and they corresponded frequently.

"What have you all been so busy with lately? We haven't even seen each other."

Song Tingfang, her blue robes billowing on the ground, smiled faintly, "By the way, Zhiwei has passed the trial and I heard she has another extraordinary destiny. She won't be returning for a while."

Since you haven't replied to my messages, I can only say that you've gone into seclusion.

She has stopped writing recently.

Xue Xiang was overjoyed and repeatedly said, "Excellent!"

"Song Si, why don't we go over there? I heard there's a Hundred Weapons Pavilion stall there."

Gu Jianchen interrupted the two of them.

Song Tingfang gave a soft "hmm" and asked Xue Xiang with a smile, "Shall we go for a stroll together? I have to return to my post after viewing the stele the day after tomorrow."

After a moment's thought, Xue Xiang smiled and nodded, "Then let's go together."

The four of them walked side by side out of the Zitan Pavilion and strolled along the lake.

The lights shattered into countless points on the water's surface, and a gentle breeze carried the fragrance of osmanthus.

The pavilions and terraces were bustling with people, and the distant sounds of flutes and drums could be faintly heard like a surging tide.

Song Tingfang moved with light steps, her blue robes brushing the ground. Occasionally, she would glance back and chat with a few people, her expression indifferent yet revealing a reserved air that made her difficult to approach.

Halfway there, Yin Tianci suddenly stopped half a step behind Xue Xiang, reached out and lightly touched the corner of his sleeve, and whispered, "Let me give you a piece of advice: that bastard Gu Jianchen is pursuing Tingfang."

"This brat, relying on his advanced cultivation and knowledge of demonic and evil arts, dares to harbor such wicked thoughts."

Xue Xiang glanced at him and smiled, "Aren't you also pursuing Song Sizun?"

Yin Tianci choked, his face embarrassed, but he still lowered his voice and argued, "That's different. We're both from the Tongjiang School. It's fair competition. Whoever wins or loses, the spoils will stay in our own pot."

But who is he? An outsider getting involved, aren't you angry?

Xue Xiang sneered, "Are you angry? Why don't you go first, and I'll cheer you on."

Yin Tianci glanced at Xue Xiang, knowing he couldn't persuade the guy, and angrily chased after Song Tingfang.

The group walked through the crowds adorned with lanterns and arrived at a grassy slope by the lake.

Here, a spiritual light shines through, and next to a stall stands a bronze sign with the four characters "Hundred Weapons Pavilion" written on it.

The surrounding area was bustling with noise, with more than twenty people gathered around.

Standing on the platform was an elderly man in a purple robe, with snow-white hair, yet he was extremely vigorous, and wore the golden emblem of the Hundred Weapons Pavilion on his chest.

This person is none other than Chao Tian, ​​the deputy head of the Hundred Weapons Pavilion, and also the main speaker for this event.

He looked around, cupped his hands, and said loudly, "Fellow Daoists, the Hundred Weapons Pavilion has come here today on the orders of the imperial court to participate in the grand banquet of viewing the stele, in order to repay all of you for your kindness to the Hundred Weapons Pavilion."

We are now offering thirteen custom-made cards for sale. The holder of any of these cards can have a magical artifact crafted by our Hundred Weapons Pavilion using their own spiritual materials!

These words immediately caused an uproar among the crowd.

"The Hundred Weapons Pavilion is famous for forging magical artifacts, and it's extremely difficult to secure a spot. Why are they selling custom cards today?"

"Haven't you heard that the Pavilion Master of the Hundred Weapons Pavilion lost tens of thousands of dollars gambling on spirit mines? Even the mighty Hundred Weapons Pavilion has to lower its proud head."

“Magic artifacts and divine weapons have always been classified, and the Hundred Weapons Pavilion is qualified to participate in the classification. The divine weapons and magical artifacts they create have always been the benchmark.”

"........."

Chao Tian pressed his hands down repeatedly to quell the noise. "As everyone knows, in the cultivation world, divine weapons and magical artifacts are generally classified into five grades—gold, purple, black, white, and cyan—based on their striking power, durability, attack range, and elemental properties..."

"Why is it that gold, purple, black, white and blue are used to classify things again? Isn't that tacky?"

Xue Xiang muttered a complaint in a low voice.

Song Tingfang said, "This is a customary rule. The root of everything lies in literary talent and spiritual roots. These entities are classified into five levels based on their five colors, which leads to the grading of the world, and everyone follows suit."

Not only were ritual implements classified in this way, but even the robes worn by officials were classified similarly.

Xue Xiang nodded, and Chao Tian had already gotten to the point: "...These thirteen custom cards are only available for pre-order of black-grade or higher magical artifacts."

Each customized card costs over three thousand spirit stones.

These words immediately caused an uproar in the room.

"It's really good, but it's also really expensive."

"Three thousand spirit stones are enough for me to cultivate to the Core Formation stage."

"Black-grade magic artifacts are not meant for ordinary people, so why are you making such a fuss?"

"Note that they are only helping with the refining; you still need to provide the materials yourself. This is the processing fee. How many people can gather the materials for a black-grade magic weapon?"

"........."

The room was noisy, but soon two people stepped forward and completed the transaction with the staff of Baibingge in the meeting area.

The meeting area was equipped with an isolation array, so no one else could hear the specific price. "Brother Gu, your cultivation is astonishing and your swordsmanship is superb. I see that your Azure Rainbow Sword is only a white-grade magic weapon. Why not refine it and upgrade it to black-grade? That would make it easier for you to unleash your sword energy."

Yin Tianci said loudly.

Gu Jianchen stood tall and elegant, and said in a loud voice, "The sword is just a vessel. The key is the person who uses the sword. A true strongman can easily crush a piece of trash wielding a divine weapon even if he is holding a wooden stick."

"you!"

Yin Tianci was furious.

"I'll go take a look."

Xue Xiang called out to Song Tingfang and walked towards the meeting area.

As Xue Xiang stepped into the meeting area, array patterns lit up beneath his feet, instantly isolating him from the outside noise.

Behind the desk sat a craftsman from the Hundred Weapons Pavilion. His hair and beard were gray, and he wore a black iron robe with the words "Hundred Weapons" embroidered in gold on his chest.

Xue bowed in greeting, and the old craftsman returned the bow, getting straight to the point, "What would you like to have made?"

Xue Xiang took out the sword's core and gently pushed it onto the table.

The old craftsman took it, activated it with his mind, and the sword spirit floated quietly in his palm, the spiritual patterns flowing in the light, as if it had a heartbeat.

As his blood and qi surged, his sword spirit, like a magical stone that could transform at will, manifested itself at will.

The old craftsman's breath hitched, then his eyes lit up, and he exclaimed repeatedly, "What a fine sword! Such spirituality is probably the culmination of the sincerity of an unparalleled Confucian scholar."

"The sword's essence is no ordinary item; it can be used without further refinement."

Xue Xiang nodded, "I have used this item for a long time. It is very useful, but it is not very useful now. I am wondering if I can use it as a base to forge a magic weapon."

What Xue Xiang said was true.

With the improvement of his cultivation, especially the surge in his physical strength, he was no longer afraid of Core Formation Realm experts.

Thus, the sword-wielding spirit gradually became a useless tool.

After all, if Jian Dan can deal with an enemy, he can also deal with him.

The enemy he couldn't defeat, Jian Dan was powerless to help either.

Therefore, we must either replace the Sword Core or upgrade it.

There was no other choice.

The old craftsman pondered for a moment and said, "Since you intend to use this extraordinary object as a base to forge a divine weapon, I wonder what your inclinations are?"

It seeks the power of illusion to deceive the enemy's mind;

Or refine the five elements to make it both offensive and defensive;

Or perhaps one should embody the power of thunder and forge the path of a hegemon?

He paused, then added, "The three are different, and their costs are also different."

The price needs to be increased by 3,000 spirit stones on top of the base price.

Illusionists require 500 spirit stones to start;
There are at least eight hundred people with the five elements attribute;
If lightning is added, then a Thunder Spirit Pearl and Lightning-Attracting Silver Sand will be needed as supplements, which will likely increase the price by no less than two thousand spirit stones.

Xue Xiang pondered for a moment and said, "I don't need any other functions. I only want to add weight to the sword's core."

The old craftsman stroked his beard, paused for a moment, then smiled. “That’s easy. Just use Kun magnetite and mixed iron as the base during the refining process, and add two sets of magic patterns: the Five Elements Gathering Array and the Mountain and Sea Stabilizing Array, and you can steadily press out eight hundred catties. If you want it to be even heavier, that’s not difficult either.”

Xue Xiang shook his head, "Too light."

The old craftsman paused slightly, then looked up and asked, "How heavy would you like, young master?"

Xue Xiang asked calmly, "How heavy is the heaviest divine weapon?"

The old craftsman pondered for a moment and said, "The heaviest magical artifact I know of is General Shenwei's 'Sunfall Hammer,' which weighs about 5,300 jin. When that hammer was made, it destroyed an entire spiritual vein."

"Cultivators who haven't mastered the Body Refinement Divine Art cannot afford to use this Falling Sun Hammer."

"Only 5,300 jin?"

Xue Xiang seemed thoughtful, "What's the maximum weight you can add to my Sword Courage?"

The old craftsman frowned. "That's hard to say. If we really have to be ruthless and use the materials and spirit array, it's not difficult to produce 10,000 jin, and we can even produce 100,000 jin."

However, if too much material is used, it will increase the weight, and then who will be able to move it?
Moreover, too many arrays will inevitably damage the Sword's ability to manifest as Ruyi, and at that time, the Sword's Spirit may lose its ability to take form as Ruyi.

Xue Xiangdao said, "That's not important, I just want to increase the intensity."

The old craftsman frowned. "You need to give me a number so I can calculate the cost of the materials."

"Fellow Daoist just said that you can compete for 100,000 jin, then let's go with 100,000 jin."

Xue Xiang was calm and composed.

He knew very well that he could wield 100,000 jin even without transforming into his demonic form.

If it were a transformed demon body, 100,000 jin wouldn't be much.

As for the claim in Journey to the West that the Ruyi Jingu Bang (the magical staff) weighs only a little over 10,000 jin (approximately 5,000 kg), that's definitely an underestimation of the Great Sage's strength by the author.

A bull has the strength of two thousand catties, and ten thousand catties is nothing.

"……what?"

The old craftsman thought he had misheard and almost broke the charcoal pencil in his hand. He looked up, his eyes wide, and raised his voice: "You mean, 100,000 jin!"

"Fellow Daoist, a Nascent Soul cultivator can indeed withstand a force of 100,000 jin, but that means they can withstand it, not that they can wield a weapon weighing 100,000 jin."

Xue Xiang said calmly, "I didn't say anything wrong, and you didn't hear me wrong either."

I did not intend to use this item for myself; I gave it to an elder who possessed superhuman strength and had diligently cultivated physical supernatural abilities.

What I lack is an extremely heavy weapon to hone my strength and resilience.

The old craftsman's lips twitched, his face turning pale and ashen. After a long while, he murmured, "I cannot make the decision on this matter... Fellow Daoist, please wait a moment."

After saying that, he practically ran to Vice Pavilion Master Chao Tian's side.

A moment later, Chao Tian, ​​the deputy head of the Hundred Weapons Pavilion, arrived.

After exchanging greetings, Chao Tian cut to the chase, "Fellow Daoist, are you really not joking?"

Xue Xiang nodded, "Everyone's busy, there's no time for jokes."

Chao Tian sighed softly, "Your request is indeed... unique. Strictly speaking, 'adding weight' is the simplest of all forging techniques."

As long as there are enough materials and the formation is stable, you can just pile them up. But if you want to do the simplest thing to the extreme, that becomes the most difficult thing.

He raised his hand and pointed at Jian Dan, "Since our Hundred Weapons Pavilion was established, we have never had a divine weapon weighing more than 10,000 jin. Even the Sunfall Hammer of General Shenwei back then weighed only 5,300 jin. You just mentioned 100,000 jin. This is not just adding weight, but creating a new world."

Xue Xiang remained calm and listened quietly.

Chao Tian continued, "To compress that weight, the materials alone must be the marrow of Kun Magnetic and the heart of Mixed Iron. Then, the Five Elements Gathering Array should be the main array, supplemented by the Mountain and Sea Stabilizing Array, the Spirit Gate Soul Locking Array, and the Xuanwu Weight Bearing Array as three auxiliary arrays."

Each array pattern requires a specialized array master to create, and the manpower consumed is astronomical.

He paused, his gaze deepening. "If it were truly forged in this way, this sword spirit would no longer be suitable for being classified as a black-grade divine weapon. Calling it a purple-grade weapon would be an understatement. Its craftsmanship, materials, and formations are all beyond the realm of common sense."

"And the price..." Chao Tian shook his head, "Even our Hundred Weapons Pavilion would have to mobilize all its manpower, dedicate a year's worth of effort, and expend more than a dozen spirit furnaces just to barely complete it."

Moreover, I can't even guarantee success. Fellow Daoist, have you considered lowering your standards a little?

Xue Xiang shook his head. "My habit is that if I don't do something, I don't do it at all; if I do it, I do it to the extreme."

I'll give it my all. If I fail, I'll accept it.

Besides, even if you fail, your Hundred Weapons Pavilion will have gained valuable experience, won't it?

"Master Chao, name your price, and I'll see if I can afford it."

After much deliberation, Chao Tian said, "Twenty thousand spirit stones, no bargaining."

"It really is an astronomical price."

Xue Xiang nodded and said, "I'll pay you a deposit of five thousand spirit stones first. The rest can be paid as the final payment after the deal is done."

Chao Tian thought for a moment and said, "Fine, since you're so sincere, let's do it."

To be honest, I'm also very curious about what a divine weapon weighing 100,000 jin (50,000 kg) would look like when it was forged.

Even a sword spirit of this quality wouldn't be able to withstand the stacking of so many powerful formations with ordinary spiritual embryos.

At that moment, both parties signed the document and pressed their fingerprints.

Xue Xiang handed over five thousand spirit stones and a sword gall.

By this point, the funds in his pocket were almost completely depleted.

With the remaining astronomical sum of 15,000, he still hoped to find an opportunity to sneak into the Land of Demons and retrieve that storage ring.

After leaving the Hundred Weapons Pavilion stall, Xue Xiang strolled along the corridor and stopped at a stall.

Ahead, a crowd of people gathered, and a sign that read "United Trading Company" hung high in the air, its edges adorned with gold thread, shimmering slightly in the wind.

Behind the stall stood a young cultivator with handsome features and a graceful demeanor, chatting and laughing with several other cultivators.

Xue Xiang recognized the person at a glance as Zhao Huanhuan.

Today, she was dressed in a blue men's outfit, with a jade belt around her waist and her hair tied up in a bun, which added to her elegant and dashing demeanor.

Several disciples of the Joyful Sect beside her, all dressed as men, were smiling and selling spiritual materials and pills to passersby.

These women, dressed as men, did not deliberately conceal their graceful figures, making it easy for anyone to recognize them at a glance.

Zhao Huanhuan was an absolute beauty, and the female disciples of the Joyful Sect were all skilled in seductive arts, each a remarkable and charming figure.

Their stall naturally became the liveliest corner in the area.

Zhao Huanhuan was explaining the effects of a spirit jade, her gestures were crisp and her tone was clear, and even the male cultivators next to her were mesmerized.

As Xue Xiang approached, she seemed to sense something and looked up at him.

Their eyes met, and a fleeting smile crossed Zhao Huanhuan's eyes.

Seeing her selling so successfully, Xue Xiang coughed lightly and lowered his voice, saying, "Young master, could this spirit jade be cheaper?"

Zhao Huanhuan's eyes sparkled, and she smiled, gathering her sleeves: "If you really want to buy, you might as well name a price."

Just as Xue Xiang was about to state his price, Zhao Huanhuan stretched out her hand, gave it a slight shake, and then slipped her delicate hand into her sleeve. "How can I reveal my bottom line? What do you say about what's hidden in my sleeve?"

Xue Xiang knew she was being mischievous, but he was happy to play along. So, he followed her example and reached out his hand.

The two men tucked their sleeves in, and Xue Xiang even pretended to point at the price with his fingers.

Zhao Huanhuan was much more direct, gently teasing his palm with her slender fingers.

Xue Xiang's handsome face flushed red. Just as he was about to withdraw his hand, Zhao Huanhuan grabbed his wrist, held it tightly, and gently stroked it.

Xue Xiang's eyes widened immediately.

(End of this chapter)