Wandering Sword Seller's Life in the Qin Dynasty

The idea behind designing a weapon for the bandit was to follow this line of thought and create a short blade similar to a modern multi-tool knife, combining the functions of a screwdriver, saw, and bottle opener, so that it could help the bandit pick locks and deal with emergencies.

But upon further reflection, Xu Qing rejected the idea.

The Mohists' mechanical arts were already exquisite; they could even create the shape-shifting Fei Gong. In the original story, because Yan Dan had been attacked by Wei Zhuang, a new form, Reverse Shark Tooth, was added to Fei Gong in order to counter Wei Zhuang.

This kind of multi-functional tool knife could easily be made with the skills of the Mohists; it's really not anything new or unusual.

Although Xu Qing was not as obsessed with swords as traditional swordsmiths, he did not put everything he had into his swords.

However, they also have their own pursuits. If they are going to give gifts, they will give the best. If they try to fool people with something crudely made, they will not only fail to gain prestige, but also ruin their own reputation.

This is also why Xu Qing has been giving away swords less frequently lately.

On the way back to Han from Chu, this kind of thing was not done very often.

However, this time, while traveling with Robber Zhi, he did not do anything other than help Robber Zhi rob the rich to help the poor.

It's because fourth-tier swords require too much reputation, which he needs to accumulate carefully. The benefits of low-tier swords are limited, and giving them to unknown people is a waste. Only when he encounters someone like Dao Zhi, who is both compatible and famous, is he willing to put in the effort to figure it out.

So, during the day, Dao Zhi was busy figuring out the backgrounds of the local bullies and wealthy merchants. At night, when he visited their granaries, Xu Qing would either help keep watch or refine the design of the weapons in his mind.

When Dao Zhi was so tired that he fell asleep immediately, Xu Qing quietly entered the system workshop. The clanging and banging sounds echoed in the virtual space, and the metal blank on the anvil gradually took shape in the firelight.

After traveling for another ten days or so, the two had penetrated deep into the heart of the Yan state.

When Dao Zhi passed by a Mo family stronghold that day, he received a letter. After opening it, the smile on his face faded a bit.

"Brother Xu, I'm afraid I won't be able to travel with you for the rest of the journey." Dao Zhi put the letter away, his tone tinged with apology.

"Is there something important to do?" Xu Qing asked.

“Yes, the Mo family has a mission that I need to go on personally.” Dao Zhi nodded, a hint of determination flashing in his eyes. “As you know, the Mo family has always valued leading by example. Whether it’s the Grand Master or a Commander, they will never hide in the back when it’s time to go into battle.”

Upon hearing this, Xu Qing nodded slightly: "Then I wish you a successful mission."

"Thank you for your kind words!" Dao Zhi smiled and was about to turn around when Xu Qing called out to him.

"and many more."

Dao Zhi paused for a moment, then turned to look at Xu Qing.

Xu Qing turned and walked towards the bushes by the roadside. A moment later, he came to him holding an umbrella that was entirely black, looking exquisite and mysterious.

"Here, take this." Xu Qing handed the umbrella to Dao Zhi.

Dao Zhi looked at the umbrella, somewhat puzzled: "Brother Xu, it's not raining here?"

“It’s not raining, but an umbrella isn’t just for keeping out the rain; it can also keep out the sun,” Xu Qing said, gently opening the umbrella. “However, this umbrella is more useful than an ordinary umbrella.”

As soon as he finished speaking, Xu Qing began his demonstration.

He tapped the umbrella with his finger, and heard a "thump-thump" sound that had a metallic weight to it: "The umbrella is woven from silkworm silk mixed with black iron wire. Ordinary swords and knives cannot cut through it. In an emergency, it can be used as a shield. When you jump from a height, it can also act as a cushion."

As he spoke, he pressed a hidden clasp on the umbrella handle. With a "whoosh," a silver thread shot out from the tip of the umbrella and precisely wrapped around a treetop not far away. The iron hook at the end of the silver thread firmly gripped the branch: "This is a mechanical rope. You can use it when you're moving across rooftops or climbing cliffs."

Before Dao Zhi could react, Xu Qing gripped the umbrella handle and gently pulled it. With a crisp clang, a long, narrow sword sprang out from the handle, its blade gleaming with a cold light and covered with numerous patterns, exuding a unique beauty.

He turned the umbrella handle again, and the patterns on the sword twisted and wriggled like snake scales, transforming it into a serrated sword in saw form.

The sword then transformed into an iron claw that could hook onto things, or a scythe.

And inside, a set of miniature tools was found when the end of the umbrella handle was unscrewed.

Dao Zhi's eyes grew brighter and brighter as he looked, and he kept exclaiming in amazement.

He had seen the "Non-Aggression" at the Mohist school. It was a divine artifact left behind by the founder of the Mohist school. It could transform and defend against enemies, and it was the pinnacle of mechanical art.

But this Thousand-Mechanism Umbrella in front of him can integrate four functions in one umbrella: defense, movement, attack, and tools. Its ingenuity is no less than that of the Non-Aggression Umbrella, and it is even more suitable for his needs when stealing.

Although you need to carry an umbrella.

But this umbrella has so many functions.

Helping him would be more beneficial than harmful.

"This...this is amazing!" Dao Zhi took the Thousand-Mechanism Umbrella, his fingers gently stroking the handle, feeling the complex mechanisms inside. "Brother Xu, are you forging a sword or creating a mechanism?"

"And when exactly did you forge it?"

He was genuinely curious.

During this period, he was almost inseparable from Xu Qing.

When did Xu Qing make this thing?

When faced with Dao Zhi's question, Xu Qing did not explain, but simply smiled and said, "If you think he's acceptable, then take him in. That way, I can fulfill my promise to you."

"This thing, of course, is perfect for me. It's incredibly useful."

Dao Zhi took the umbrella from Xu Qing and said quickly.

Holding this object, he couldn't help but feel moved and touched.

He had initially thought Xu Qing was just saying it casually, but he never expected that the other party would actually tailor-make such a treasure for him.

This is not an umbrella at all; it is clearly Xu Qing who has hidden the friendship they shared while traveling together in this ingenious mechanism.

Xu Qing then revealed the name of the umbrella.

"It's called the Thousand Machines!"

Chapter 141 Sword Duel in Jicheng

The Thousand Machines Umbrella, or Thousand Machines Umbrella, comes from the novel "The King's Avatar" that Xu Qing read in his previous life. It was originally a legendary piece of equipment in the game world. Later, it was replicated by skilled craftsmen in reality, but unfortunately, it was far less magical than the original work. Its forms were not as varied, and even the few remaining variations were quite complicated to operate.

Dao Zhi was different from ordinary swordsmen. Most swordsmen would gladly accept a sword if they got one that suited them, but Dao Zhi refused to use a sword and naturally had no need for such weapons.

If Xu Qing wants to get him to accept something he made himself, he has to find a different approach and come up with something new.

Perhaps it was a connection in the dark, but Xu Qing remembered the scene in the original story where Dao Zhi stole the "Thousand-Machine Copper Plate" and suddenly had an idea: to make a Thousand-Machine Umbrella.

However, the weapon he created is completely different from the original version in the game.

First, the size is much smaller than the original. The large, sweeping forms like the spear have been completely abandoned, not to mention the machine gun form.

As a compensation, Xu Qing specially added a mechanism rope inside the umbrella ribs, which could be retracted and extended, to assist in climbing and to unexpectedly entangle opponents. In addition, there were also many small tools suitable for theft hidden inside. Of course, these were only auxiliary functions; the main purpose was a sword.

It's called an umbrella, but it's actually an umbrella sword!

It can be said that apart from the name and the core concept of transformation, which are somewhat similar to the original, this Thousand Manifestations Umbrella does not have many other similarities with the original.

That's normal. Xu Qing has always been like this when forging swords. Even if some swords are made exactly the same as those in the original work, they are not the originals taken directly from the system store. Instead, they are products that he has gradually replicated and improved.

Some swords may look similar, but their internal capabilities have long since changed.

Dao Zhi, of course, was unaware of the intricacies behind these events. He simply held the Thousand-Mechanism Umbrella and repeatedly explored it. When his fingertips touched the mechanism of the umbrella ribs, his eyes were filled with surprise.

After testing the rope's extension and retraction, and then pulling out a small tool from the hidden compartment, he couldn't help but laugh out loud: "Brother Xu, I, Dao Zhi, accept this gift!"

"If you like it, that's good." Xu Qing handed over a contract. "Then sign this."

"A contract?" Dao Zhi raised an eyebrow, a hint of doubt in his eyes.

"It's just my habit," Xu Qing explained. "Anyone who takes a weapon from me will sign a contract, which is to give the weapon a provenance and to show that it was forged by me, Xu Qing."

"I see!" Dao Zhi suddenly realized, without giving it much thought.

Just as he enjoyed robbing the rich to help the poor, it was perfectly reasonable for Xu Qing, as a swordsmith, to have such a habit.

He readily signed the contract, exchanged a few pleasantries with Xu Qing, and then hurriedly left with the Thousand Chance Umbrella in his pocket.

After all, the Mo family's mission was urgent, and he really couldn't afford to linger for too long. If Xu Qing hadn't suddenly produced this gift, he would have already left.

After seeing off Dao Zhi, Xu Qing resumed his solo travel routine.

This time, however, he did not bypass important places in Yan State such as Ji City, but instead took the initiative to head towards the capital.

A few days later, Xu Qing finally arrived in Jicheng.

This city exudes a sense of weight and history, which is in line with the temperament of the Yan State. Of the eight hundred vassal states enfeoffed by the Zhou emperor, most of the vassal states of the direct line of the Ji family have long been lost to history, and now only the Yan State remains.

What's even more special is that the Yan state still retains the three-capital system, with the three capitals forming a defensive triangle. If Ji city were to encounter any trouble, the court could immediately shift the political center to the other two capitals, which is an old way of dealing with crises.

Upon arriving in Jicheng, Xu Qing first found an inn on the street to stay in, washed away the dust of his journey, and changed into clean clothes, a habit he had developed over many years of traveling.

Even if I need to investigate the situation next, I need to make myself comfortable first.

In the following days, Xu Qing walked through almost every street and alley in Jicheng.

Since he was new to the area, he needed to figure out the details first.

Who are the heroes and valiant figures in the State of Yan worthy of our friendship? And who are the treacherous villains who bring disaster to the country? Whether you want to give someone a sword to make a good relationship or to find an opportunity to gain prestige, you must first understand the situation in this place.

Moreover, the Yan state was different from the Han state.

The Korean novel has a prequel that details the situation, but while the Yan Kingdom is mentioned quite a bit in the original work, it mostly revolves around the personal stories of a few individuals, and the overall national structure is not discussed in detail.

Xu Qing originally thought that he would hear some news about the Snow Maiden when he arrived in Jicheng. After all, she had become a legend in Jicheng in the original work, with the reputation of being able to captivate the city with her dance. However, after staying for a few days, he found that there were very few people in the city who talked about dancing. Instead, the topic of martial arts was heard everywhere.

Despite being weak states, Yan and Han exuded different qualities.

The Yan state had a certain amount of bravery hidden in its bones, just like an honest person who, when bullied too much, will eventually explode.

Back when King Zhao of Yan was in power, the reason why the State of Yan dared to launch a military campaign against Qi was precisely because it had been bullied too much by the State of Qi.

Although that prosperity did not last long, and the state of Yan declined rapidly after the death of King Zhao of Yan, and is now often bullied by the state of Zhao, the martial spirit among the people has never been extinguished.

The fact that Qin Wuyang killed someone in the street when he was just over ten years old, and that this incident could spread throughout Jicheng without anyone finding it too outrageous, is the best proof of this prevailing social trend.

Even though Jicheng was the capital of Yan, street fights were common. The government usually turned a blind eye, and as long as no one was killed in public, it was not considered a big deal.

Even worse, some people set up private arenas in the community specifically for martial arts practitioners to spar.

Xu Qing gleaned from snippets of conversation among martial arts practitioners that there was a grove of trees on the eastern outskirts of Jicheng where swordsmen and martial artists would gather every so often to compete.

There were also gambling stalls set up nearby, with people betting on who would win and who would lose, making the scene quite lively.

The most prominent figure in that forest recently is a swordsman named Han Liu.

When Xu Qinggang heard the name, he couldn't help but purse his lips.

What's this "Korean Wave"? It doesn't sound very impressive. In terms of sheer power, the "Chinese Wave" is the best!

But he still listened patiently, wanting to know just how skilled this swordsman who could make a name for himself in Jicheng really was.

According to those martial arts practitioners, Han Liu's swordsmanship is fierce and swift, his sword strikes are as fast as lightning, and he can even cleave a flying swallow in two with a single sword strike, thus earning him the name "Swallow Soaring Sword".