Gifting Treasures

More than two months ago, Zhao Ping'an casually killed a White Ghost who was snatching a woman on the street, saving the Wang family siblings Wang Linzhao and Wang Linxue before hastily leaving South Ridge City.

It was just a small, casual act, and he hadn't paid it any mind.

But for the two who were saved, it was a debt of immense gratitude.

One had to understand that the person killed was a Grandmaster at the Fourth Level, a being that the entire Wang Family could not defeat even with all their might.

It could be said that Zhao Ping'an's casual act had indirectly saved the entire Wang Family.

When the current head of the Wang Family, Wang Qingyu, learned of this, he immediately convened a family meeting. The final decision was to spare no expense in forging a treasured saber for Zhao Ping'an.

The main material for this saber was a piece of Outer Realm Profound Iron that the Wang Family had accidentally acquired from their ancestors.

After hundreds of years of searching, the Wang Family finally found a way to melt it ten years ago. However, innocence is no shield against greed.

The emergence of such a treasured saber would inevitably attract the covetousness of countless individuals.

With the Wang Family's strongest cultivator only at the Eighth Level Innate, they would be utterly incapable of protecting the saber. It would even invite the threat of death.

Now, Zhao Ping'an's sudden appearance presented a perfect opportunity.

Following this, the Wang Family immediately gathered all their top forging masters and brought them to the deepest part of their forging workshop, a terrestrial fire vein, to begin forging the treasured saber with the strength of the entire clan.

After more than two months, the treasured saber was finally completed this very morning.

To prevent any unforeseen complications, the Wang Family immediately gathered their important personnel and left the city with the saber. They cautiously made their way through the forests towards Wu'an Mountain, leaving only the Wang Family head, Wang Qingyu, to guard their home.

They didn't arrive before Wu'an Mountain until noon, when the sun was high in the sky.

"Understood, let them in!"

"Yes, my lord!"

At Zhao Ping'an's command, the guards immediately turned and ran towards the main gate.

Soon, a plainly dressed old man, around sixty years old, followed by several other figures, was led by the guards to the front of Zhao Ping'an's pavilion.

Among them were the Wang Family's second young master, Wang Linzhao, and their cherished daughter, Wang Linxue, whom Zhao Ping'an had saved previously.

They were following a middle-aged couple, curiously observing everything around them.

Zhao Ping'an leaped down from the rooftop, opened the door on the first floor, and invited everyone to be seated in the reception hall.

"This old man is Wang Yuanzheng of the Wang Family, the previous head of the family and now the Great Elder. I pay my respects to Young Master Zhao."

"These two are my..."

Wang Yuanzheng introduced his entire entourage to Zhao Ping'an.

This included his second son, Wang Qingshan, the couple Song Mingyue, and the Wang Family's most talented new generation, the siblings Wang Linzhao and Wang Linxue.

(That's right, Wang Linxue, the cherished daughter of the Wang Family, is also one of the most talented of the new generation, even three points better than her second brother, Wang Linzhao.)

His cousin Wang Yuanxin (the Second Elder of the Wang Family), and his elder cousin Wang Yuanpei (the Third Elder of the Wang Family).

A total of seven people.

Without waiting for Zhao Ping'an to ask, they directly stated their purpose – to deliver the saber.

It was a long saber, wrapped securely in silk, carried on Wang Qingshan's back.

"You're delivering a saber to me?"

"Yes, Young Master Zhao. Firstly, it is to thank you for saving our Wang Family's Kirin Son from peril. Secondly, our Wang Family cannot protect this saber; it is a source of disaster, not fortune, for us. Thirdly, we wish to foster a closer relationship with you."

"To be honest, don't laugh at me, but our Wang Family's strength is at the bottom of South Ridge City. We haven't even produced a single cultivator at the Ninth Level Innate. Therefore, we hope you can offer us some support over the next ten years, just enough to prevent our family from declining."

Wang Yuanzheng had initially considered a marriage alliance, but he changed his mind as the words left his mouth.

He felt that Zhao Ping'an was too powerful, and they were too weak. If they were to form a marital alliance, the Wang Family would inevitably become his subordinate, which was not something he desired.

There was one more thing he didn't say: for the past six months, if it hadn't been for Zhao Ping'an turning South Ridge City upside down, forcing all factions to tread carefully, his Wang Family might have already begun to decline.

The reason was that his own strength had started to regress.

The path of martial arts is like sailing against the current; to not advance is to fall back.

Take the Innate Realm, for example. The maximum lifespan is 150 years, but after the age of sixty, one's vitality and blood begin to decline. Not only does progress in martial arts become several times more difficult, but vast amounts of Spiritual Medicine are needed to condition the body.

Thus, a saying has long circulated in the martial arts world: "If one doesn't reach the Innate Realm by thirty-five, they will have no hope in life; if one doesn't reach the Grandmaster realm by sixty, their path in this life is cut off."

This applies to subsequent realms as well, each having its own age limit.

If one cannot break through to the next major realm by a certain age, their cultivation is essentially at its limit for life.

"Let me see the saber!"

Zhao Ping'an felt no particular emotion about this. His progress had been too rapid. After a moment of thought, he spoke softly. He was very curious to see if the Wang Family truly believed a weapon could impress him.

They had no idea what his true cultivation level had reached.

Upon hearing Zhao Ping'an's words, Wang Yuanzheng's eyes lit up, and he immediately signaled his second son to present the saber.

"Young Master Zhao, please examine it!"

Wang Qingshan immediately untied the silk from his back, revealing a long saber that was as black as ink. He held it with both hands and respectfully presented it to Zhao Ping'an.

"Mm!"

Zhao Ping'an didn't stand on ceremony. He nodded and reached out to grab the long saber.

"Hm?"

The moment it landed in his hand, Zhao Ping'an's eyes lit up.

He discovered that this long saber, about four feet long (around 1.3 meters) and two inches wide, with an overall design resembling a Ming Dynasty Brocade Spring Saber, weighed over a hundred pounds.

It was more than ten times heavier than an ordinary refined steel long saber.

"Clang!"

With a hum of the saber, it was drawn from its sheath, its cold light scattering, causing those watching to squint.

"Clink!"

Zhao Ping'an lightly flicked the saber with his left hand. A clear, pleasant ringing sound instantly echoed in everyone's ears, lingering for a long time.

"Good saber!"

Looking at the unharmed long saber in his hand, Zhao Ping'an's eyes shone.

He hadn't just tapped it casually just now; he had used thirty percent of his physical strength and a wisp of True Essence.

That this saber could withstand it completely unharmed was entirely beyond his expectations.

Even a Fifth Order Supreme Grade long saber would show damage after being tapped with thirty percent of the physical strength of a peak Martial Venerable like himself.

Yet this saber was completely undamaged, its material must be extraordinary.

"Hm? Why isn't it sharpened?"

Zhao Ping'an, who was about to test the saber's edge, suddenly looked up, his gaze filled with confusion as he looked at Wang Yuanzheng.

"Uh... well... it's like this. The material of this saber is exceptionally precious. It was forged from a piece of Outer Realm Meteorite Iron that my Wang Family ancestor accidentally obtained over two hundred years ago.

Although we found a way to melt and forge it, sharpening the edge... my Wang Family doesn't have the capability yet. We don't even know the specific grade of this long saber."

"But I can guarantee that this saber is definitely at least Fourth Order. You can use it with complete confidence."

Seeing Zhao Ping'an's puzzled gaze, Wang Yuanzheng explained somewhat awkwardly.