Great Zhou Martial Immortal

Chapter 64 The Cloud-Climbing Mace

Lu Chenyuan stepped forward, his gaze shifting between the four weapons.

—If it's just about "eating", either one is fine.

With the "Golden Devouring Treasure Scroll" in operation, the golden spiritual energy of the third-grade divine weapon is enough to allow him to take a big step forward in his cultivation. However, for someone who is currently in the third realm, it would be a waste to devour and refine such a treasure. It would be wiser to save it for when he breaks through to a higher realm or as a trump card to protect his life.

Therefore, practicality must be considered.

Now that his divine consciousness has just begun to solidify, he is still more focused on the path of body refinement, using force to overwhelm others and defeat all techniques with sheer strength. Of the four divine weapons before him, only the "Lotus Brightness" Zen Staff can give full play to its advantages, but Buddhist weapons are ultimately incompatible with his own path.

Just as I was hesitating, I suddenly caught a glimpse of a dark golden light in the corner of an ice pillar.

That was a mace.

The entire piece is cast from star-patterned steel. The four-sided mace is long and slender like a dragon's spine, with gilded cloud and thunder patterns subtly embedded within. It gleams with a cold, sharp light in the icy mist. Near the handle are two ancient seal characters: "Hanging Clouds". The characters are as if carved by a knife and axe. Even through the millennia-old ice, one can still feel the ferocious aura of bloodshed on the battlefield—the kind of ferocity that only a weapon that has drunk the blood of countless enemies possesses.

Lu Chenyuan's pupils contracted slightly.

Qin Qiong's mace!

Qin Qiong and Yuchi Gong were both right-hand men of Emperor Taizong, and their combat prowess was roughly equal. If Yuchi Gong's Xuanwu Whip was like a raging torrent, then Qin Qiong's mace was like a dragon roaring through the heavens.

Legend has it that he wielded two maces, "Hanging Clouds" and "Grasping the Moon," and with the help of the "Dragon Soaring Mace Manual," he could destroy cities and break through armies on the battlefield as if entering an empty land!

The two maces appear and disappear like dragons in the clouds, when they are combined, their power reaches the heavens, and when they are separated, their force spreads to the eight directions. They combine strength and gentleness, and their changes are endless.

The most legendary battle was the Battle of Miragawa.

At that time, Liu Wuzhou, together with Song Jingang, conquered Taiyuan and won one battle after another. They quickly occupied most of Hedong and their troops pointed south, showing a strong momentum to sweep through Guanzhong. At that time, Yuchi Gong, who was still under Liu Wuzhou's command, led his elite cavalry to break through Xiaoji Camp and returned in great victory. Emperor Taizong predicted their marching route and took advantage of their long march and exhaustion to order Qin Qiong and Yin Kaishan to ambush them at Meiliangchuan.

Two powerful forces clash, unleashing an epic battle!
Qin Qiong, having waited in comfort, ultimately prevailed. He combined his two maces into a single strike, "Soaring Dragon," which directly clashed with Yuchi Gong's Mountain-Swallowing Armor. The maces fell like the sky collapsing, their force sweeping across the entire army. Armor shattered and men retreated, the remaining power penetrating the enemy ranks. Wherever they passed, men and horses fell, and rocks shattered. After this battle, deep mace marks were carved into the Meiliang River, remaining there for years.

A resounding victory in one battle!
After this battle, Li Shimin personally inscribed the four characters "銏荡千军" (meaning "the mace sweeps away a thousand troops") as a gift to him.

The [Hanging Cloud Mace] before us, though it has lost its other [Moon-Embracing Mace], still weighs two hundred catties on its own. The [Mountain-Suppressing] talisman array is engraved inside the mace—this array is heavier, stronger, and more powerful than [Thousand Jun], but the requirements are also higher.

Once activated, only those with superhuman strength can wield it!

"That is……"

Yuan Qingshuang followed his gaze and paused slightly: "【The Cloud-Piercing Mace】? After the Duke of Yi passed the Dragon-Piercing Mace to his eldest son Qin Huaidao, he lost the other one. Later, Qin Huaidao abandoned martial arts for literature and presented this mace... Lord Lu, the Dragon-Piercing Mace is undoubtedly a top-grade third-rank weapon, the best in the world, but, the mace itself..."

"It doesn't matter."

Lu Chenyuan gently stroked the ice pillar with his fingertips, feeling the fierce aura emanating from the mace: "It's a pity to have one less, but the fit is more important."

Furthermore, there's the Divine Empress's Treasured Eye; it's not impossible that she might encounter another one.

The "Gold-Swallowing Treasure Scroll" was operating spontaneously within his body, and he could feel that this fierce weapon, specifically designed for the destruction of armies, was the most suitable choice for him at this moment.

"That's it."

"it is good."

Yuan Qingshuang formed a hand seal, and seven cold stars were thrown into the ice pillar.

The moment the ice pillar shattered, the Cloud-Piercing Mace emerged from the abyss like a trapped dragon, its body trembling and emitting a piercing buzzing sound. It then floated in mid-air on its own, its gilded patterns flickering.

The reason why the top three grade divine weapons are called "divine" is that they are full of spirituality and have developed intelligence. Although they have not yet reached the level of transformation and intelligence that sword spirits and knife spirits in novels have, which are indistinguishable from real people, they already have their own likes and dislikes and temperaments.

Especially evil weapons, which can even control people's minds, silently turning the wielder into a killing puppet.

There is a saying that swords "drink blood to nourish their sharpness," and the same applies to other weapons.

Even the key to spiritual cultivation lies in killing and drinking blood!

The instinct for bloodlust is ingrained in their very nature.

Even though the mace is known as a "superior weapon among weapons," once it gains intelligence, it becomes extremely ferocious!
Lu Chenyuan reached for the mace handle with one hand.

"careful!"

Before Yuan Qingshuang could finish speaking, the Cloud-Piercing Mace suddenly launched an attack. The mace swung like a python, leaving a trail of afterimages as it lashed out at Lu Chenyuan's wrist. If this strike landed, it would be enough to split the fine iron in two.

"Snapped!"

Lu Chenyuan changed his grip to a strike, and the clash between his palm and the mace produced a metallic clang.

He clenched his fingers and gripped the mace handle directly.

The Cloud-Piercing Mace began to struggle frantically, its body vibrating rapidly as it tried to break free of control.

"Such a fiery temper."

Lu Chenyuan sneered, his right hand remaining motionless like an iron clamp.

The Cloud-Piercing Mace struggled more fiercely, and its entire body began to heat up, the gilded patterns shining like branding iron. However, Lu Chenyuan activated the "Gold-Swallowing Treasure Scroll," and his physical body was harder than gold and iron. Faced with such high temperatures, he didn't even flinch.

The "Golden Treasure Talisman" circulated rapidly through the meridians, and domineering true energy poured into the mace along the arm. This was not a gentle soothing, but a naked conquest—the gilded true energy washed over every inch of the mace like a tide, and wherever it passed, the cloud and thunder patterns dimmed!

The Cloud-Piercing Mace trembled almost like a mournful cry, yet it still stubbornly resisted. The [Mountain-Suppressing Talisman Array] lit up, and the mace suddenly sank, its weight of two hundred jin increasing tenfold. The mace erupted with Geng metal energy, becoming incomparably sharp. The blue bricks beneath Lu Chenyuan's feet cracked instantly, but the muscles in his arms bulged like coiled dragons, and he still held the mace handle steadily.

"Ask me one last time."

Lu Chenyuan pressed the tip of his mace against his left palm, and gilded true energy formed a vortex in his palm.

"To be used by me—"

The vortex of true energy began to tear at the golden energy at the tip of the mace: "Or, be drained dry by me!"

The Cloud-Hanging Mace trembled violently, its gilded patterns flickering between light and shadow.

After a three-breath stalemate, the temperature of the mace began to drop sharply, and its weight returned to normal, even becoming much lighter.

The dim cloud and thunder patterns lit up again, but the light became gentle and finally settled on a stable dark gold.

Yuan Qingshuang breathed a sigh of relief and smiled, "The divine weapon has recognized its master. Congratulations, Lord Lu."

Lu Chenyuan weighed the heavy mace in his hand, eager to try it out. However, since they were in the Xuanji Pavilion, it was not appropriate to test its power here. He could only hold back for now. He casually swung it without adding any true energy, and the sound of wind and thunder suddenly rose in the air, as if the Cloud-Dropping Mace was emitting a submissive hum. He nodded and said, "Not bad."

Yuan Qingshuang looked at his spirited appearance with a hint of admiration in her eyes, then sighed: "It's a pity that the whereabouts of the Duke of E's [Xuanwu Double Whips] are unknown, otherwise it would be more suitable for you."

Even the most renowned general, who once dominated the world, could not escape the fate of having a tiger father but a dog son.

Both Qin Qiong and Yuchi Gong had sons who were not successful.

Qin Huaidao lost one of his Moon-Grasping Maces, and Yuchi Baolin went even further, losing both of them...

The goddess gazed at the mace, a flash of inspiration passing through her eyes as she memorized its precious light.

—【Guicang Baotong】cannot see through things. If she wants to search for spiritual objects and treasures within a radius of dozens of miles, she needs to go to a high place with a wide view so that she can see everything. Now she is in the pavilion with the doors and windows closed. Even if she wants to search around, she can only see the walls of Xuanji Pavilion.

Yuan Qingshuang said, "Her Highness the Princess specifically instructed that if you use it as a weapon, she asked me to give you the corresponding moves as well. Let's go, let's go get the 'Dragon Soaring Mace Manual'."

"Thank you."

Yuan Qingshuang moved swiftly and quickly retrieved the manual.

Lu Chenyuan casually flipped through the book, learning as he read. The "Dragon Soaring Mace Manual" didn't have many words—martial arts like this, which rely on brute force to overcome all techniques, couldn't possibly have many variations; they were all about power exertion techniques.

The entirety of this mace technique consists of eight moves for a single mace and eight moves for a double mace.

But as simple as it is, its power is truly astonishing, taking the concept of "one force can overcome ten techniques" to its extreme. The stronger the foundation, the greater the physical strength, and the more terrifying the power. Li Jing commented on this technique: "The Moon-Grabbing Mace is drawn out as the Milky Way falls, the Cloud-Dropping Mace returns as the sun rises; the two maces resound together and the heavens and earth tremble, the raging dragon breaks through a thousand cities."

Lu Chenyuan memorized the skill and secretly lamented that he was missing one, making it difficult to see the "Rage of the Dragon". He then returned the mace manual, bid farewell to Yuan Qingshuang, and led the Empress to Suiming Pavilion to take charge.

With the Luoshui Festival drawing ever closer, we still need to be careful with those sacrificial vessels.

……

Inside the Suiming Pavilion, everything was in perfect order.

Wang Yizhi sat in the center of the Ghost Crafts Hall, his sharp gaze sweeping over several masters who were carving jade.

With the Luoshui Grand Ceremony approaching, if any sacrificial vessels are lost, Lu Chenyuan will surely be implicated—"The most important matters of the state are sacrifice and war."

The current situation is volatile and we are in a time of great turmoil. If the sacrificial vessels are damaged, the consequences will range from demotion to serious punishment.

Even a princess and male concubines are useless!

To prevent any accidents, he simply stayed there day and night, never leaving the spot.

The ritual vessels are divided into two categories: jade and bronze. Bronze vessels such as ding, gui, zun, and jue have already been cast.

Only one more set of jade ceremonial items needs to be made in a hurry.

The assassination attempt shocked the court and the public, forcing the grand ceremony to be postponed. Rumors began to circulate, such as "the empress's regency will incur the wrath of heaven and the resentment of the people," and some even secretly spread the rumor that "the Luo River is a warning; as long as the empress holds power, the world will not be at peace."

These rumors, like venomous snakes, are silently eroding the Queen's prestige.

Therefore, only by making this grand ceremony perfect could Empress Wu silence public opinion and quell the so-called "divine wrath and popular resentment." Not only should it be held, but it should be made grand and solemn.

These newly added jade discs, jade cong, and jade scepters, made with "doubled sincerity to worship the gods," must all be flawless, so that the world can see that this land is still a land blessed by Heaven.

"Everyone, please be careful."

Wang Yizhi solemnly reminded, "This batch of ceremonial jade is extraordinary; it concerns your future and the dignity of the court. I urge you to be extremely cautious."

Upon hearing this, the jade carving masters became even more cautious in their movements.

They knew better than anyone the significance of these ceremonial jades—the blue jade disc had to be made of Hetian green jade, symbolizing the divine right of emperors; the yellow jade cong had to be made of Kunlun yellow jade, representing the eternal stability of the state; and the jade tablets and scepters had to be made of Lantian jade, signifying the unity of all directions.

Nine processes, each one concerning life and death; every chisel and every carving, all related to the safety of the world.

As night fell, Wang Yizhi's brows furrowed more and more, and a chill ran down his spine.

He always felt that there seemed to be an unseen eye inside the Suiming Pavilion, watching these ritual jades that were about to be completed.

(End of this chapter)