Begin your practice with the crane-shaped stance.

Chapter 96 Rusty Knife

Deep within the city's thousand-household office lies the inner treasury, which is heavily guarded.

Upon arriving at the steel gate, the old guard examined the brass key Xia Dong handed over, confirmed the insignia on it, and then handed over a thick register: "Make a register, specifying the time of entry and exit."

Xia Dong followed his instructions and began to write.

Zhao Ting, standing to the side, explained in a low voice, "This key is Lord Qian's official token. According to the rules of the Thousand Household Office, it must be left in the archives after use for record-keeping. Later, someone will send it back to Lord Qian along with the list of weapons you selected, to prevent anyone from abusing their power to take more than their share."

With a clanking sound, the heavy doors slid open to both sides.

Inside the storeroom, swords, spears, and halberds were neatly categorized, their cold gleam striking.

Without a doubt, anything that can be stored in the treasury of the Thousand Households Bureau would be a top-tier weapon in the secular world.

Xia Dong stepped forward, casually drew a heavy sword with a thick back, and flicked his wrist.

The sword emitted a faint, dissonant hum, as if it couldn't withstand the force of his fingers.

He frowned slightly and put it back.

He then picked up a fine steel spear, and with a slight stimulation of his Transcendent Realm blood and martial intent, a faint muffled sound immediately came from inside the spear shaft.

Xia Dong tried more than a dozen weapons, but couldn't find one that suited his taste.

These divine weapons were more than enough to deal with martial artists at the Inner Strength Realm, but they were still too light and too fragile for his now transformed body and blood.

If one were to go all out in a life-or-death struggle, they probably wouldn't last more than a few rounds.

In short, it's good, but it's only passable in practice.

Just as he was losing interest, Xia Dong's gaze inadvertently swept over the weapon rack in the corner.

At the very bottom of the shelf, a broken wood-chopping knife covered in rust lay forlornly.

At first, he didn't pay attention, but the moment his divine sense swept across the blade, the ancient bronze bell that had been dormant in his sea of ​​consciousness trembled slightly, almost imperceptibly.

Xia Dong paused slightly in his movements.

With his late-stage Qi Refining spiritual sense, this could not possibly be an illusion.

How could an ancient bell, such a divine object, react to a broken woodcutter's knife? A thought immediately occurred to me: this could very well be a legendary treasure that "conceals itself."

Xia Dong walked over and picked up the rusty wood-chopping knife.

It feels extremely heavy.

This seemingly unremarkable broken knife was actually several times heavier than the heavy sword from before.

"Brother, I'll choose this one," Xia Dong said, turning to Zhao Ting.

Zhao Ting was helping to find a good sword when he heard this and turned around. After seeing what Xia Dong was holding, his brows immediately furrowed.

He stepped forward and stopped her, saying, "Xueyi, why are you choosing this piece of junk when you have so many refined divine weapons to choose from?"

Seeing Xia Dong staring thoughtfully at the blade, Zhao Ting sighed and earnestly advised, "This blade has been gathering dust in the armory for years. Several self-proclaimed experts used to think it was some kind of divine treasure, and insisted on taking it back to study. And what was the result? Whether they infused it with martial arts energy or had cultivators use their magic to try it, it was like throwing a stone into the sea—no reaction whatsoever."

"Besides, this knife is not only made of extremely hard material, but it also lacks any sharpness whatsoever." Zhao Ting lowered his voice, his expression becoming more serious. "Moreover, this knife is somewhat sinister, carrying an inexplicable evil aura. Several previous owners who forcibly used it either met violent deaths or suffered qi reversal and qi deviation. You've just entered the Transcendent Realm, with a bright future ahead of you. It's not worth getting involved with such an unlucky thing. Listen to your brother, put it down immediately, and let's choose another one."

Xia Dongxin understood.

If the ancient bronze bell hadn't made a sound, Zhao Ting's honest words would have definitely persuaded him to back down.

However, since the ancient clock has given us a hint, it's worth a try.

Even if the knife were dull and not sharp, its "incredibly hard material" and "extremely heavy weight" alone would be enough for him to fully unleash his martial arts prowess.

"Thank you for the reminder, brother." Xia Dong smiled gently, but did not put down the knife. "However, after trying out a few, I feel that this knife has the most suitable weight. I have just broken through and am in need of a sufficiently sturdy heavy weapon. As for its sharpness, that's secondary. This will do."

Seeing Xia Dong's resolute attitude, Zhao Ting shook his head helplessly and gave up trying to persuade her.

Watching Xia Dong go to the archives to register, Zhao Ting thought to himself: These young people nowadays are really being poisoned by those supernatural tales.

Do you really think that some extraordinary opportunity can be hidden in scrap metal? If this knife were even slightly miraculous, the experts in the garrison would have taken it long ago. How could they possibly be the ones to pick up a bargain?

Fine, since Xia Dong insists on choosing, let him be. Anyway, this knife is made of extremely hard material; it can be used as an iron rod in a real fight. Consider it a lesson for him.

After Xia Dong selected this strange rusty knife, he planned to find a powerful and domineering sword technique to complement the "superior martial arts" promised by Master Qian.

Then, guided by Zhao Ting, Xia Dong passed through two heavy steel gates and arrived at the inner room where martial arts techniques were stored.

The shelves here are filled with ancient books, animal skin scrolls, and even a few broken jade slips. Under each item is a yellowed label with a brief description and rank of the martial arts technique written in tiny characters.

It must be said that the Qianhu Office has a rich history and profound cultural heritage.

As he watched, Xia Dong was quite envious of several powerful and unpredictable sword techniques and movements. Unfortunately, the rules were set, and he could only choose one this time.

"Brother, these martial arts techniques look profound, so why are most of the slips marked with the word 'incomplete'?" Xia Dong casually flipped through a few slips, somewhat puzzled.

Mature and complete top-tier martial arts techniques seem to be extremely rare in this warehouse.

Zhao Ting chuckled and explained, "What's so strange about that? These things are mostly dug out by the court's spies and experts from the Tongxuan Division from ancient immortal tombs or fallen secret realms. Before the court even got to do this dirty work, these places had already been raided by countless groups of thieves. How many large tombs and secret realms in the world can remain intact?"

Zhao Ting paused, then continued, "The higher-ups placed these fragments here, firstly to enrich the armory, and secondly, with the intention of casting a wide net. They're hoping that a few prodigies with extraordinary comprehension will emerge from below and use their talent to complete these incomplete fragments. In fact, it's not just martial arts techniques; it's said that many of the top-tier supernatural abilities and spells within the Tongxuan Division also have this origin."

Xia Dong suddenly realized that the imperial court was exploiting the talents of these laborers to make up for lost wages.

This is a common tactic!

If the imperial court were to develop some powerful puppetry technique someday, would they then have to refine them? Just like in my past life, when they refined working people into AI.

He mentally grumbled for a moment, then continued wandering between the shelves.

After looking around, my eyes finally settled on a thin booklet that was covered in dust in the corner.

This booklet is neither silk nor hemp, and there isn't a single word on the cover, nor is there a label with an introduction underneath.

It's just an unnamed sword manual.

Xia Dong held it in his hand and weighed it in his hand, then turned to ask, "Brother, do you know the origin of this sword technique?"

Zhao Ting leaned over for a look and shook his head: "I have no recollection of it. It was probably just some extra stuff that was casually slipped in during some cult cleanup or grave-digging operation. Nobody even knows when it was put into storage."

"Can't we preview the contents beforehand?" Xia Dong asked hesitantly.

Without any introduction, choosing martial arts techniques is like opening a blind box. If you take them home and find you can't practice them, then you've really lost out on today's trip to the Imperial Treasury.

Zhao Ting glanced around and lowered his voice, "You wait for me here."

He turned and walked towards the door of the inner room, pulled the Eagle Wolf Guard captain in charge of surveillance and registration aside, put his arm around his shoulder familiarly, whispered a few words, and secretly slipped something to him.

A short while later, Zhao Ting turned back, gave Xia Dong a wink, and his lips moved slightly: "Hurry up and flip through it, quick."

Ultimately, rules are made by people.

As long as the overall situation isn't compromised, subordinates will naturally have flexible and adaptable methods.

Xia Dong didn't waste any words and immediately opened the nameless sword manual, quickly scanning it.

He recognized all the words in the booklet, but when put together, they conveyed a sense of obscurity and coldness. The grammar wasn't difficult; what was difficult was the atmosphere, like some kind of illogical rambling that left him completely bewildered, unable to understand the flow of energy or the methods of exertion within.

Just as Xia Dong frowned, intending to give up.

"Buzz".

Deep within the sea of ​​consciousness, the ancient bronze bell emitted an extremely faint hum once more.

Immediately afterwards, a line of scarlet, twisted characters slowly emerged on the ancient bell's simple surface, as if seeping blood.

The text exuded a sinister aura that pointed directly to the source, imprinting itself directly into Xia Dong's consciousness:

Demonic Sect Martial Arts: "Asura Yin Sha Blade" - Introductory Chapter

Xia Dong's eyelids twitched, and her heart instantly brightened.

Now that he had thoroughly understood the origins of the bronze bell, he naturally had no hesitation.

"You're the one." Xia Dong slammed the booklet shut.

He majored in the "Mysterious Yin Scripture," and just by hearing the name of this sword technique, one could tell that it was a perfect match for his Mysterious Yin magical power and that evil rusty knife.

The armory is such a great place.

Xia Dong tucked the sword manual into his pocket and followed Zhao Ting outside. He glanced back at the rows of weapon racks and manual racks, feeling somewhat unsatisfied.

This is a place I really need to visit more often.

Back in the archives, the old captain picked up his pen and made the entry.

When he caught a glimpse of the rusty, broken woodcutter's knife in Xia Dong's hand, and the nameless booklet without even a cover, his cloudy eyes visibly widened in surprise.

However, the old captain had served in the armory for many years and had seen all sorts of strange people. He didn't ask any questions, but simply recorded them in the register according to the rules.

After Xia Dong returned the brass key that served as a token, the two completed the formalities and left the heavily guarded armory via the same route.

The garrison naturally wouldn't allow its officers to sleep on the streets, and had already arranged temporary lodgings for them in the city.

It's a bit far from the Thousand Household Office, but it's quiet in the environment.

When they arrived at the place, they saw rows of independent courtyards, and Xia Dong and Zhao Ting were each assigned one.

The courtyard was quite spacious, with all the necessities for daily life. Even temporary servants and waiters to serve tea and water were provided, ready to be dispatched at any time.

"Xueyi, the prosperity of the prefectural city is far beyond what our Pingyang County can compare to." As the two parted at the courtyard gate, Zhao Ting smiled meaningfully. "I'm treating tonight, brother? As long as you're willing to spend the money, even the most famous courtesan in the prefectural city can be invited to serve you in this courtyard. You've just broken through to the Transcendent Realm, so you should relax and stretch your muscles."

"Thank you for your kind offer, brother, but I would like to strike while the iron is hot and quickly go back to study this newly acquired sword technique." Xia Dong shook his head and declined.

He aspired to the highest ideals and naturally had no interest in the vulgar women and women of these worldly pleasure quarters.

Seeing this, Zhao Ting didn't press the matter, laughed, and turned back to his own courtyard.

In his view, it was normal for a martial arts prodigy like Xia Dong, who could reach the Transcendent Realm at such a young age, to be able to resist the temptations of sensual pleasures.

Xia Dong pushed open the door to his courtyard and immediately sent the few temporary servants who came to greet him to wait in the outer courtyard. He also established a rule that no one was allowed to approach the main house without his summons.

Back in the bedroom, Xia Dong lit the oil lamp and closed the doors and windows tightly.

He walked to the table, sat down cross-legged, and placed the heavy, rusty woodcutter's knife, which exuded a faint aura of menace, horizontally on the surface. Then, he took out the thin, unnamed booklet from his pocket, and his eyes instantly became focused.

With the ancient bronze bell revealing the secrets of the "Asura Yin Sha Blade," the previously obscure and difficult passages in the booklet now seem much clearer.

The words, which sound like ramblings, reveal a completely different state of mind and perspective in Xia Dong.

He took a deep breath and began to calmly comprehend this mysterious demonic martial art.