Liang Xiao fell silent.
He understood that Mu Xueqin had set him up.
She actually made him retrieve such an item, and her intentions were obvious.
Yet, the crucial point was that he genuinely desired this item. The moment he saw it, he wanted it...
If Liang Xiao had used this weapon instead of his Bincheng iron spear during the final battle, he would have been far more at ease, and wouldn't have almost met his demise on the battlefield, leaving him with lingering injuries!
"This..." Yue Lian gasped in surprise, quickly covering her mouth, her face flushing red.
Seeing Liang Xiao staring intently at the weapon, Jian Qinwan couldn't help but stifle a giggle.
Had he revealed his true nature? A martial artist's affection for a weapon was as evident as their gaze, impossible to hide!
Hong Ren sighed, "The Sage of Medicine explicitly stated that Marquis Anguo is protected by the Heavenly General and may possess innate divine strength. Should the Heavenly General manifest in the future, perhaps this item could be useful..."
Liang Xiao's brow twitched, and he curled his lips, "Actually, I'm just an exceptionally ordinary weapon collector."
He truly wished he could fly to Mount Tian and drag Mu Xueqin out, forcing her to gather herbs a hundred times a day!
Jian Qinwan couldn't help but glare at Liang Xiao.
"Marquis Anguo, let's first see if you can lift it. If it proves unwieldy, do not force it," Hong Ren advised.
Liang Xiao then stepped forward, grasped the shaft of the halberd, and lifted it gently. His expression changed.
So heavy!
He estimated the weapon weighed at least forty to fifty jin!
The weight of conventional weapons on the battlefield wasn't as exaggerated as depicted in storytelling and performance, where they often weighed hundreds of jin.
This was because soldiers had to wield their weapons for extended periods against enemies, making stamina crucial. For instance, the knives, spears, swords, and halberds used by soldiers typically weighed only one to three jin!
Bronze-hilted iron swords from the mid-Western Han Dynasty, when unearthed, weighed less than one jin and three liang. Ming Dynasty official swords, nearly a meter long, weighed only one jin and six liang!
Great sabers used on ancient battlefields ranged between two and five jin. Heavier maces weighed around six to seven jin, and wolf-筅 (a type of spear) around thirteen chi long and weighing six jin.
This was the norm for war weapons.
A great saber weighing one hundred and twenty jin was usually for martial artists to train their strength; it was impractical for actual combat on the battlefield. Not only could warhorses not withstand such weight and impact for long, but a rider wielding such a heavy weapon might fly off themselves before even striking an enemy!
This forty to fifty jin killing weapon would exhaust most people in moments of wielding it!
Only Liang Xiao, with his astonishing strength, could manage it!
However, what truly shocked Liang Xiao was its weight.
If it were made of other materials with the same volume, it would likely weigh only a dozen jin or so, but this weapon weighed forty to fifty jin, with the head possibly weighing over ten jin!
What material was this?
Liang Xiao couldn't help but recall his Heavenly General Token and the Luminescent White Dragon Armor that Mu Xueqin had given him.
Despite the technological backwardness of this world, there seemed to be alloys and materials beyond his comprehension.
Regardless, this weapon was the divine artifact Liang Xiao had dreamed of!
"Indeed, divine strength..." Hong Ren marveled.
Liang Xiao asked, "Master Hong Ren, may I test its power?"
Hong Ren blinked, then nodded, pointing to a horizontal iron railing nearby. "Marquis Anguo, feel free to strike. This railing is also due for replacement."
Liang Xiao understood. He raised the weapon, the edge touching the iron railing, then lifted it high and brought it down with force—
The iron railing, one and a half inches thick, was instantly cut into two segments!
Liang Xiao's heart rejoiced: it truly was a divine weapon!
Jian Qinwan and Yue Lian stared in astonishment: what if this were to strike a person…
"Does this halberd have a name?" Liang Xiao inquired.
Hong Ren shook his head. "The King of the Eastern Sea left this item here and erased its past, including its name. Marquis Anguo..."
"I understand, Master. Keeping such a weapon of slaughter in a Buddhist temple must have a purpose, and it wouldn't be easily given to me," Liang Xiao sighed.
Hong Ren sighed, "Marquis Anguo is indeed wise. Anyone who cannot convince this humble monk, even if they could forcibly take it, would be pursued by the court... Look at that character."
Saying this, Hong Ren pointed to the wall ahead.
Liang Xiao and the other two focused their gaze. On the wall was a large character: "武" (Wu).
Hong Ren's tone turned serious. "Marquis Anguo, allow this humble monk to ask presumptuously: What is 'Wu'?"
Jian Qinwan watched Liang Xiao nervously.
She had been exposed to martial arts through her Sword Saint father, but she didn't know how to answer this question to satisfy Hong Ren.
Liang Xiao pondered briefly and stated with a serious expression, "Stopping war is Wu."
Jian Qinwan and Yue Lian's eyes lit up simultaneously!
What a profound statement, "Stopping war is Wu"!
Hong Ren's brow relaxed, and he smiled, "Please elaborate?"
Liang Xiao explained, "To cease conflict, meaning to stop war, that is true martial prowess. Quelling conflict, seeking peace; subduing the enemy without fighting, these are the true meanings of Wu."
Jian Qinwan covered her mouth, her beautiful eyes shimmering, on the verge of tears.
Stopping war is Wu. This was the first time in her life she truly grasped the profound meaning of the character "Wu"; it was a revelation!
Hong Ren nodded gravely and sighed, "Truly, a remarkable individual favored by the Sage of Medicine..."
As he spoke, Hong Ren stepped forward and wiped the base of the weapon rack, revealing long-undusted characters. "Please read the inscription left by the King of the Eastern Sea."
Liang Xiao and the other two approached and saw a block of text carved there.
[I spent my life in military campaigns, engaging in twenty-two major battles and two hundred and twenty minor ones, never tasting defeat. Yet, nearing fifty, I finally understood destiny.]/
[My martial arts were unrivaled in this era. With sword and halberd, I looked down upon the world, yet I never fully embodied the true meaning of 'Wu'.]
[What is Wu? To stop war is Wu.]
[My cavalry expanded our territory, yet wherever we passed, the people suffered. Moreover, there were twenty instances of city massacres, leaving behind endless harm. My heart is unsettled, knowing I will face misfortune, and I regret not being able to govern and atone.]
[This halberd is nameless, capable of slicing iron like mud. It is thus sealed in Bodhi Temple to cleanse my karmic sin. If, in the future, a heroic man comprehends 'to stop war is Wu' and answers the abbot's three questions, they may wield this halberd to bring peace to the world and atone for my regrets.]
Hong Ren gazed at the inscription and sighed profoundly.
"Years ago, the King of the Eastern Sea brought this halberd to Bodhi Temple, repented here for seven days, and left this opportunity. Several days later, the King of the Eastern Sea was assassinated by an assassin from the former dynasty. The King of the Eastern Sea faced death fearlessly, allowing the assassin to pierce his chest with a sword, and even ordered his men to let the assassin leave unharmed. However, the assassin, having avenged his family, was resolved to die and committed suicide on the spot."
"Because the King of the Eastern Sea was the younger brother of the founding emperor of the Great Heng Kingdom, he slaughtered the former imperial family for his brother. That young man was one of the survivors, then an infant. Twenty years later, he came to avenge his nation and his family."
Liang Xiao nodded slightly. "Since ancient times, victors write history, and a general's success is built upon countless lives. Yet, the King of the Eastern Sea felt his sins were grave and accepted death with equanimity, a rare heroic figure indeed. I understand; the King of the Eastern Sea hoped that the successor who wields this halberd would avoid wanton slaughter of the populace and repeat his mistakes."
He saw that the King of the Eastern Sea had a moment of conscience one day and suddenly questioned his life. Liang Xiao, however, would not; his convictions were firm, and he had never massacred a city.
Hong Ren nodded. "Precisely! But there is one more matter that perhaps no one would dare to believe."
Seeing the confusion on the faces of Liang Xiao and the other two, Hong Ren smiled wryly. "The assassin who attempted to kill the King of the Eastern Sea years ago, he revealed his name to the King of the Eastern Sea."
"His name was also Liang Xiao, and the person who adopted him was the then abbot of Bodhi Temple."
Jian Qinwan and Yue Lian looked on in horror, while Liang Xiao could only offer a helpless, wry smile.