Armor + Shield + Great Saber + Long Spear = A Qualified Warrior

A moment later.

After inspecting everything, Zhang Ming nodded in satisfaction.

Overall, the Mine had not changed much over the past two months.

Its Armor and Weapons output, quality, and the like had already neared the peak of current technology.

If Zhang Ming did not intervene, making a breakthrough would still require a long accumulation of technical progress.

In short, everything at the Mine was well and operating smoothly along its established track.

"Has there been anything unusual in Mine Cave No. 13?"

Lin De answered, "No. There has not been the slightest disturbance. Everything is as usual."

"Mm, it seems those Demon Beasts truly dislike sunlight."

"Let's go take a look."

Outside Mine Cave No. 13.

"My lord." X20

There were a full twenty fully armed Armored Soldiers, a massive Fortress Barbican four meters high and two meters thick, a Refined Iron Gate weighing ten thousand jin, and several Bed Crossbows embedded in the walls, each gleaming with cold light.

Together, they formed an impregnable wall of bronze and iron, guarding Mine Cave No. 13's secret.

"Mm. You have all worked hard."

"You have all rendered great service and borne great hardship. From now on, your monthly wages will be doubled."

The Armored Soldiers rejoiced, their faces blooming with smiles.

"Thank you, my lord! Thank you, my lord!"

"Alright, open the gate. I'm going in."

"Young Master, you're going in?" Lin De was both astonished and alarmed.

"Mm."

"Young Master, I'll go with you. I'll summon a few Armored Soldiers as well."

Zhang Ming raised a hand, stopping Lin De.

"No need. I'll go down alone. You would be of no use even if you came."

"N-no... use?"

Thinking of their previous entry, when he and ten Armored Soldiers had not only failed to help Zhang Ming—

They had even become a burden at one point.

Lin De's face flushed red with shame.

"Young Master, I will cultivate diligently."

Zhang Ming looked at Lin De and smiled faintly.

"I believe in you."

"Alright, bring me the Armor and Weapons I told you to prepare."

"Yes, Young Master. Please wait a moment."

A moment later.

Several Armored Soldiers carried over a number of large chests.

These large chests contained the weapons and armor Zhang Ming had ordered Lin De to prepare in advance.

Inside were Mine Cave Beast scale armor, a Full Demon Beast Scale Armor crafted through unique methods, and a Refined Iron Ring-Pommel Great Saber.

There was also a Great Refined Iron Shield half a man's height and three fingers thick, along with dozens of Short Spears one meter long and as thick as a child's wrist.

As an "arms dealer," when making equipment for himself, he naturally chose only the finest.

Thus, the weapons and armor in the chests were unquestionably the best of the best.

These armor pieces, weapons, shields, and Long Spears were made of top-quality materials, and their weight was equally astonishing. Together, they weighed several thousand jin.

Only Zhang Ming, whose cultivation had now broken through into the Postnatal Realm and whose entire body possessed tens of thousands of jin of strength, could ignore such weight entirely.

For an ordinary Postnatal Martial Artist to use such Armor and Weapons—

That would be nothing but a fool's dream.

"Young Master, I'll help you put on the armor."

Clang, clang—

The multilayered Fish Scale Armor weighed nearly a thousand jin and stacked up to around three centimeters thick. Even ordinary firearms from his previous life would have struggled to penetrate it. With Lin De's assistance, Zhang Ming slowly donned it.

His entire body was tightly covered in armor, from his head to his shoulders, from his chest to his abdomen, then down to his thighs and calves. Every scale seemed to have been painstakingly forged by a master craftsman, carrying both the orderliness of geometric patterns and the flowing dynamism of sleek lines.

Under the sunlight, every scale shone brilliantly, dazzling to the eye.

With the slightest movement of his body, the faint sound of metal striking metal rang out.

Zhang Ming had originally been of ordinary height and build, but wrapped head to toe in armor, he now became exceptionally tall and imposing.

Looking at the burly Steel Giant before them, with only his eyes exposed, everyone felt reverence rise in their hearts.

"My lord is incredible."

"As expected of Young Master."

For a moment, if Zhang Ming had a Loyalty Panel, he would have clearly discovered that everyone's loyalty had surged by an entire level.

When a Boss bestowed generous rewards and favors upon his Underlings, it could raise their loyalty.

But in this Martial Arts World, strength reigned supreme. A Boss displaying his astonishing strength could accomplish the same.

"Young Master, here."

Lin De used all his strength to lift a backpack, his face red with exertion as he handed it to Zhang Ming.

Zhang Ming casually took it. The backpack, containing over a dozen Short Spears and weighing several hundred jin, was slung over his back.

Then he took a Ring-Pommel Great Saber and a huge Refined Iron Shield large enough to cover half his body.

The false Warrior: graceful and elegant, qinggong drifting like mist, with the bearing of an immortal.

The real Warrior: armor, shield, Short Spears, Great Saber!

"Wait here. I'll be back in no time."

"Young Master, be careful."

"My lord, be careful."

Thus, Zhang Ming, clad head to toe in armor, with a Great Refined Iron Shield in one hand and a Ring-Pommel Great Saber in the other, and over a dozen Long Spears on his back—

Slowly entered the pitch-black mine cave under everyone's watchful eyes.

Inside the mine cave.

The mine cave was as silent and dark as ever. Holding a torch high, Zhang Ming sped downward along the familiar route.

"It would be nice if the Formless Witness Technique reached the Second Layer, Darkvision."

"Then I probably wouldn't need a torch when going down into this mine cave."

He had obtained the Formless Witness Technique only a dozen days ago, yet with Ignite Comprehension's help, he had easily gained the experience needed for the perfected level.

Getting started with the Formless Witness Technique had posed no difficulty whatsoever.

However, the Formless Witness Technique was a special cultivation method, not merely a Martial Skill.

Even with the experience, it still required time to nourish the eyes and temper the Acupoints and meridians around them.

"At this rate, I should enter the Second Layer, Darkvision, in another twenty-some days, and reach the Third Layer, Microvision, within half a year."

"Only after reaching the Third Layer does the Formless Witness Technique become a true Formless Witness Technique."

As these thoughts ran through his mind, his feet did not pause in the slightest.

The mine cave's terrain was uneven, with enormous drops between upper and lower steps, yet Zhang Ming traversed it as if walking on level ground.

It was as though he was not wearing thousands of jin of armor and equipment at all.

Like this—

He raced onward for several kilometers into the mine cave, descending several hundred meters underground.

Until he reached the place where he had been attacked by Demon Beasts last time.

He swept his gaze over the surroundings. Everything was dim and shadowy.

Zhang Ming held his breath, his mind stretched taut.

The mine cave was dark, while the torch in his hand blazed brightly.

Trying to hide his body was nothing more than wishful thinking.

The enemy was hidden in darkness, while he stood exposed in the light.

Therefore, Zhang Ming could only remain passively alert.

Rustle, rustle—

Zhang Ming moved slowly. The scales of his armor lightly struck one another, their sounds especially clear within the silent mine cave.

At that moment.

"They're here."

Within the silent, dark mine cave, eyes were no longer the best "detectors." Ears were.

Suddenly, a burst of hurried running footsteps echoed through the mine cave.

Immediately afterward, a massive Demon Beast leaped out from the darkness.

Its body was enormous, its hide thick and covered in sharp long spines. Its eyes flashed with fierce cold light as it lunged at him at tremendous speed.

The Demon Beast was extremely fast, but the Demon Tongue shooting from its pointed mouth was even faster.

"Damn it."

The Demon Beast had appeared too suddenly, and for some reason, it was larger and more imposing than every Demon Beast Zhang Ming had encountered during his previous entry.

For a moment, Zhang Ming had no time to dodge. Instinctively, he raised the shield in his hand and curled up behind it.

Bang—

The Demon Tongue slammed into the shield. A tremendous force crashed into him. Zhang Ming gritted his teeth, his Vital Energy circulating at full speed as power erupted within him, yet he still staggered several steps backward before withstanding the impact.

"Good thing I have a shield."

Caught off guard by the sudden attack from the darkness, if not for his armor and shield, this single blow would have left at least one bloody hole in Zhang Ming's body.