Supreme Martial Venerable: Starting with the White Ape Cloak Hammer skill point allocation

Chapter 76 The Butler (Please continue reading)

Zhou Yuan followed the group all the way to Zhengzi Mountain. Looking at the Shenbing Valley interviewer leading the way and those excited "geniuses" ahead, Zhou Yuan felt quite helpless.

He now feels like he's walked from a slave market into a talent market.

In the past, when he was a corvée laborer, he worked for free. Now that he has become a martial arts scholar, he still has to work for free. Wasn't this martial arts exam a waste?

Just because they're given the title of "trial" doesn't mean they're some kind of genius.

I'm still working for free!

Zhou Yuan was initially a little uneasy, but now he felt much more at ease.

The so-called trial is just finding someone to do work for free, so the danger isn't that great.

Could things get any worse than when I was serving my old roster?

Before long, the group arrived at a dilapidated mountain stronghold in the mountains.

Zhou Yuan was no stranger to this mountain stronghold; it was the hiding place of the notorious thief Xu Nian.

However, after Pang Yunlong's extermination, there was no one left here. Unexpectedly, it became the training ground for the Divine Weapon Valley.

Zhou Yuan looked around and wondered to himself, "If it's just a trial, can't it be done in the city?"

Why do we have to come to this remote mountain forest?

Is there something you're ashamed of?

Before leaving the city, the interviewer from Shenbing Valley named Pang Yuanyou had already explained the contents of the trial.

Judging from their names, Pang Yuanyou and Pang Yunlong are both from the Pang family of Shenbing Valley. The other party said that the content of this trial is to test everyone's talent in weapon forging.

Divine Weapon Valley started out by forging weapons; weapon forging is their specialty, and those who do not understand weapon forging are not worthy of being disciples of Divine Weapon Valley.

Pang Yuan spoke in a grand and respectable manner, saying that considering everyone's lack of foundation, he would teach them how to do it and then observe their learning speed.

Zhou Yuan immediately knew that the other party wanted to find a group of free laborers.

A bunch of guys who haven't learned weapon forging techniques, even if they try to hone their skills at the last minute, they can only forge iron.

When it comes to blacksmithing, these martial artists are strong and skilled.

Just as Zhou Yuan was pondering, someone suddenly appeared in front of him.

"The powerful man wants you to come over."

The visitor was an old acquaintance, Luo Rongrong.

After leaving the blacksmith shop, Luo Rongrong did not fall into decline. Relying on the Luo family's background, she is now a steward of the Martial Alliance.

In this trial, I even became a temporary squad leader.

Following Luo Rongrong's gaze, Zhou Yuan saw Pang Yuanyou standing with his hands behind his back.

He hesitated for a moment, then followed Luo Rongrong to Pang Yuanyou.

"I have met the Great Man."

Zhou Yuan bowed slightly.

"You are Elder Luo's disciple by name?"

'

Pang Yuan looked Zhou Yuan up and down, a hint of disdain flashing deep in his eyes.

With such poor aptitude, it's no wonder he possesses the Jade Blade. Luo Baiyan only accepted him as a nominal disciple, unwilling to formally join his sect.

"I heard you used to practice martial arts at a blacksmith's shop and learned weapon forging techniques?"

He asked in a cold tone.

"I've learned a little bit, but I'm not very good at it."

Zhou Yuan became wary and carefully replied, "Senior Sister Luo knows that I am naturally slow-witted and I learn everything slowly when I was in the blacksmith shop."

"Sir, it's like this."

Luo Rongrong clasped her hands and said, "His physical constitution and talent are very poor. Master Li Lin was unwilling to take him in at first, but Master Li Lin owed his mother-in-law a favor, so he was forced to take him in."

His current success is all thanks to his wife's family; they built his fortune up with money.

It was easy to detect the strong sarcasm and condescending disdain in Luo Rongrong's tone.

But Zhou Yuan secretly gave her a thumbs up.

Great assist!

"It's obvious that he has a poor physique and the scent of Qi and Blood Pills still lingers on his body. He must have spent a lot of money to get to where he is today."

Pang Yuan said calmly, "I originally wanted you to be in charge of a process on your own, but since you haven't made a name for yourself in weapon forging, then I'll just leave it to Rongrong to arrange."

"Yes."

Zhou Yuan bowed and withdrew.

Soon, Pang Yuanyou arranged the "trials" for everyone.

Each "trial" has a supervisor, and Zhou Yuan's supervisor is Luo Rongrong.

Their task in this step is quite simple: to create a bronze casting.

Zhou Yuan's team of seven or eight people all had experience in blacksmithing.

The other "geniuses" had different tasks. Gao Da's team was responsible for chopping wood, while Wang Chao's team was responsible for polishing.

"These are the blueprints. Familiarize yourself with them today, and we'll start building tomorrow. All the materials are ready. You'll be staying in this room for the time being."

Luo Rongrong gave the order with an arrogant air, then turned and went to the wooden house where Pang Yuanyou lived in the center of the mountain stronghold.

A moment later, a strange sound came from the cracks in the wooden house.

The expressions on everyone's faces became somewhat strange, and some people even chuckled.

We are all martial artists, with sharp ears and eyes, so how could we not tell what was going on with that sound?

"Mr. Pang is so lucky with women. Miss Luo's figure looks so voluptuous—"

As they packed their belongings, everyone whispered among themselves.

Zhou Yuan remained silent, staring at the blueprints left behind by Luo Rongrong, his mind reeling with alarm bells.

It was a small iron piece that looked nothing special, and anyone who saw it would only think that it was a test that Shenbing Valley was giving them.

But in Zhou Yuan's eyes, this iron piece was nothing short of a bombshell.

Others might not recognize it, but he could easily tell that it was clearly the stirrup of the Divine Arm Crossbow, used to cock the crossbow.

In an instant, Zhou Yuan understood what Pang Yuan was planning to do, and a cold sweat broke out on his back.

Divine crossbow!

Pang Yuan had these people make the Divine Arm Crossbow!

Crossbows are controlled weapons, and even in the Divine Weapon Valley, they cannot be manufactured without the permission of the imperial court.

Why did the Pang family build so many crossbows?

Is this a rebellion?

"No, the Great Qi Dynasty is at its peak. The Pang family is a behemoth in Jiangzhou, but it is not considered top-tier in the Great Qi Dynasty. Daring to rebel is courting death."

Zhou Yuan's expression turned grave, his mind racing. "There's been a long-standing rumor that the Pang family is vying for the position of Master of the Divine Weapon Valley. Could it be that they intend to seize it through this method?"

Zhou Yuan keenly sensed the danger.

As the saying goes, when the city gate catches fire, the fish in the moat suffer as well. When powerful figures are vying for power, even the slightest disturbance can bring about their downfall.

The Pang family couldn't have forged the Divine Arm Crossbow just for fun; they were most likely preparing to use force to seize the position of Valley Master of the Divine Weapon Valley.

Although they don't know who their opponents are, they certainly aren't pushovers.

Once the two sides start a war, do they care about the lives of small fry?

Most importantly, aren't those who participated in building the Divine Arm Crossbow now forced to be tied to the Pang family's war chariot?

If they are unwilling to submit to the Pang family afterward, will the Pang family allow them to leave this mountain forest alive?

Even if the Pang family lets them go, would their rivals let them go?

They helped the Pang family build the Divine Arm Crossbow, so who would believe they have no connection with the Pang family?

This is truly a case where even jumping into the Yellow River won't clear one's name.

"Moreover, I am also Luo Baiyan's disciple, so Luo Baiyan will be implicated as well."

Zhou Yuan felt as if he had fallen into an ice cave; this three-birds-with-one-stone plan was a deadly scheme that killed without shedding blood.

He felt like a mosquito trapped in a spider web, with a suffocating sensation pressing in from all sides.