A treasure weapon's battle record, Mittel

After dealing with Leli, Zhou Changqing waited until nightfall.

Under cover of darkness, he stuffed the corpse into a sack, took it to a cliff somewhere in the south of the city, and threw it over.

With the Magical Beast Mountain Range at its back, Wutan City lay amid forested mountains. Its sprawling territory also contained many peaks and sheer cliffs.

The mountain behind the Xiao Clan that Xiao Yan often visited in the original story was one such place.

Even on certain streets in the city, buildings lined only one side, while an abyss yawned on the other.

Disposing of a corpse could hardly have been easier. All he had to do was find an uninhabited cliff and toss it over. No one would ever find it, and even if someone did, they would uncover no trace linking it to Zhou Changqing.

Once that was done, Zhou Changqing returned to his little courtyard and went to sleep.

Several days passed without incident.

In this world, a death was far too ordinary for anyone to care.

Even the weapons workshop where Leli had worked showed no reaction.

He was just a laborer who had not even become a Dou Zhe. The city was crawling with people like him. Whether he showed up or not hardly mattered; anyone could take his place.

Zhou Changqing had anticipated this long ago, so he never worried about anyone investigating Leli's disappearance.

The next day, he resumed his daily routine.

The days passed one by one.

Zhou Changqing kept a regular schedule, cultivating while refining and nurturing Iron-Cleaving Mortal Weapons.

While refining and nurturing weapons, he also continued studying the Weapon Refining Path, recording new ideas as well as the experience he gained.

This made Zhou Changqing increasingly proficient at refining and nurturing weapons, slightly reducing the time he needed.

Of course, that did not mean nothing happened during this period.

One day, while Zhou Changqing was out buying supplies, he heard an interesting piece of news.

It concerned a mercenary.

Two of Wutan City's larger mercenary groups had clashed while hunting in the Magical Beast Mountain Range over who had the right to a high-level second-rank magical beast.

Such things were actually quite common.

After all, Wutan City stood near the Magical Beast Mountain Range, and countless mercenaries earned their bread by hunting magical beasts.

Where people gathered, disputes were bound to arise.

Things like, "I spotted that magical beast first," or, "What are you looking at?"

Not to mention that mercenaries spent their lives fighting and killing, and already had fiery tempers. They were the sort to throw punches at a single ill-chosen word.

As a result, quite a few mercenaries died in such clashes every year.

The residents of Wutan City had long since grown accustomed to it.

Had that been all, it certainly would not have caused a stir or caught Zhou Changqing's interest.

What truly caused a sensation and set tongues wagging was the outcome of this clash.

Rumor had it that the battle between the two mercenary groups had been exceptionally bloody—and completely one-sided.

And the person responsible for that outcome had actually been a middle-ranking member of one of the groups.

That mercenary was only a three-star Dou Shi, placing him somewhat above average within his group.

Yet during the battle, this very mercenary had unleashed astonishing might, rampaging through the battlefield unchecked, charging in and out seven times!

Reportedly, four Dou Shi and over twenty Dou Zhe had died at his hands in that battle!

All four of those Dou Shi had possessed higher cultivation than him, with the strongest having reached six-star Dou Shi.

He had even wounded the opposing mercenary group's leader with his blade during the battle!

And that wounded leader had already reached Peak Nine-Star Dou Shi!

After this battle, that terrifying record catapulted the mercenary to fame, making him the hottest name in Wutan City's mercenary circles of late! Without exception!

News about this mercenary quickly spread like wildfire through those circles.

Beyond their shock that a Three-Star Dou Shi could achieve such a dazzling record, people also grew curious about the source of his tremendous combat strength.

After extensive analysis and revelations from quite a few people close to the mercenary, everyone arrived at the root of his formidable fighting power!

That reason was—an Iron-Cleaving Treasure Weapon!

According to the information circulating, the mercenary had unexpectedly purchased a weapon called an "Iron-Cleaving Treasure Weapon" at the Xiao Family Market some time ago.

This treasure weapon sliced through iron like mud and could easily sever steel tempered a hundred times. Before its edge, the Dou Qi Veil formed by a Dou Shi was no different from ordinary cloth.

Only the Dou Qi Veil of a nine-star Dou Shi could offer even a little resistance.

Even then, it could withstand at most one full-force strike from a Dou Shi wielding the Treasure Weapon. A second blow would inevitably break through.

That mercenary leader at peak nine-star Dou Shi had been wounded precisely because he took a second slash!

The moment this news spread, countless people were swept into a frenzy!

After all, who would not want such a divine weapon, one capable of boosting their strength so dramatically?

Many mercenaries even sought out the man who possessed the treasure weapon, hoping to learn its exact details and how to obtain one.

But upon learning that there had only been one such weapon, and that no one knew who the seller was, every visitor left disappointed.

Of course, there were also those with sinister intentions who planned to murder him and seize the Treasure Weapon for themselves.

However, after the mercenary cut down several ill-intentioned six- and seven-star Dou Shi, that idea died in the hearts of the vast majority.

Unless a Da Dou Shi intervened, even a nine-star Dou Shi would likely face a considerable risk of death against that mercenary without an opportunity to launch a sneak attack.

As for Da Dou Shi-level experts, although the Treasure Weapon might pique their interest a little, they would not take it seriously.

Only upon reaching Da Dou Shi would one understand that this so-called Treasure Weapon was utterly useless against Dou Qi Armor!

Cultivating a powerful Dou Technique would be far more practical.

Thus, despite the crime of possessing a jade that others coveted, Mercenary escaped the fatal calamity it might have brought him.

Oh, right. That Mercenary's name was Wang Zhi!

One month later.

Zhou Changqing made his way along a street bustling with crowds and an endless stream of carriages and horses.

Today, he once again wore white robes, his long hair secured beneath a crown. As his tall, well-proportioned figure moved, the hems of his robes swayed in the breeze, as though he were riding the wind through the clouds.

Together with his handsome face, framed by slightly thick, swordlike brows, bright peach-blossom eyes, a high nose, and soft lips.

He gave off an inexplicably ethereal air.

Nearly every woman and girl on the street was drawn to him, their gazes lingering on him before they realized it.

Zhou Changqing's peach-blossom eyes in particular, which would have looked tender even gazing at a dog, attracted the most attention from these women.

However, when their gazes landed on the enormous bundle on Zhou Changqing's back, as tall as a person, a trace of regret inevitably appeared on their faces.

That bundle had completely ruined what would otherwise have been a perfect picture of an ethereal, handsome young gentleman.

Zhou Changqing paid those gazes no heed whatsoever. Ever since his features had begun maturing at twelve, when had an outing ever been any different?

At first, he might have felt a little shy. Now, well, he had long since grown used to it.

Compared with those gazes, Zhou Changqing cared far more about his own inconvenience.

Once I have money, I'll definitely get a Storage Ring first. Otherwise, carrying things around every time is far too much trouble.

With that thought, Zhou Changqing soon reached the end of the street.

An enormous hall immediately appeared before him.

Above its entrance hung a huge plaque edged in gold.

Several large characters were engraved on it.

Mittel Auction House!

Reading the comments gave this author a laugh. Someone actually said peach-blossom eyes looked effeminate?

Come on, dear readers who think peach-blossom eyes look effeminate, could you please look them up?

This kind of gaze is not exclusive to women. Plenty of men have eyes shaped like this. Do you know Vincent Chiao? He has peach-blossom eyes. Would you dare call Erlang Shen effeminate? Do you know Yan Yikuan? He has peach-blossom eyes too. Would you dare call him effeminate? I won't list the others one by one, but there are plenty more.

(End of chapter)