Zhang Ergou put down the gun and continued forward.
Then Zhang Ergou picked up a treasured sword. Although the sword was sharp, Zhang Ergou was still somewhat dismissive of it.
He browsed through the items, picking and choosing, as if he were shopping for groceries in the village.
Despite the abundance of weapons on the first floor of the Baoqi Pavilion, Zhang Ergou had not found a single one that caught his eye after walking for so long.
Back in Xinshan Village, any one of these would have been considered a treasure.
But now, Zhang Ergou's perspective had changed; he was looking for the weapon that best suited him.
He continued to walk forward, touching this and weighing that.
Yet, not a single weapon felt just right.
As he neared the end, Zhang Ergou still hadn't found a suitable weapon.
Just as Zhang Ergou was about to turn back, the dan fire in his dan sea trembled and sent out a thin wisp of flame that flew outwards.
Zhang Ergou hurried after it until he reached a stone platform.
On the platform lay a dark iron spear. Perhaps due to long disuse, it was covered in dust.
The wisp of dan fire coiled around the iron spear.
Surprised, Zhang Ergou tentatively gripped the spear's handle. He wanted to see what was special about a weapon that the dan fire had taken a liking to.
Zhang Ergou had underestimated the spear's weight. When he tried to lift it, he found he couldn't.
"It must weigh at least two hundred jin." Zhang Ergou estimated that this spear was heavier than the Qingtian Saber on his back.
It was no wonder it lay there all alone; two hundred jin was not a trivial weight.
When he first carried the hundred-jin Qingtian Saber, Zhang Ergou couldn't even walk properly.
This two-hundred-jin spear was not something ordinary disciples could lift.
Even if they could lift it, it would consume their spiritual energy. In a fight, they would exhaust themselves to death before their opponent even got to them.
However, it was precisely because of this that Zhang Ergou became interested in the spear.
He circulated his spiritual power slightly and lifted the iron spear. With a flick of his sleeve, he brushed away the dust.
A sense of ancient age wafted towards him, and Zhang Ergou saw two ancient characters carved on the spear shaft: Tian Wen.
Zhang Ergou examined the spear carefully.
The spearhead was not sharpened and was thicker than that of ordinary spears. Its material was indistinguishable.
He only felt its immense weight. Many runes that Zhang Ergou couldn't understand were also carved on the spear shaft, giving it a very primitive appearance.
"What a strange spear," Zhang Ergou muttered softly, noting that it was unsharpened.
Given its weight, even if it couldn't be used for stabbing, it would make a good bludgeon.
"Heh heh, this one it is!" Zhang Ergou slung the iron spear over his shoulder and walked towards the exit.
"Hmm!"
Liu Dafa, standing by the door, sighed, "Little fellow, with your scrawny frame, why choose a spear of all things?"
*Clang!*
Zhang Ergou lowered the iron spear he had carried on his shoulder. The spear was so heavy that its tip dug into the ground.
"Elder, what is the origin of this spear?"
Zhang Ergou pointed at the iron spear and asked.
"This one!" Liu Dafa stroked his goatee. "It was here when I took over the Baoqi Pavilion. It must have been here for at least several hundred years. As for its origin, I don't know."
"I see!"
Liu Dafa shook his head. "Kid, I advise you to choose another weapon. This spear is exceptionally heavy. Pick something lighter!"
"No need, this one it is." Zhang Ergou smiled, stroking the spear shaft. The more he looked at it, the more he liked it.
"Stubborn kid, take it away then."
"Thank you, Elder!"
Zhang Ergou bowed again and then carried the iron spear out of the Baoqi Pavilion.
As for the others, Zhang Ergou paid them no mind, as he was not familiar with them.
As soon as he stepped out, he was met with many surprised glances. Disciples passing by in small groups would glance at Zhang Ergou, then at the iron spear on his shoulder.
They couldn't help but point and whisper about Zhang Ergou.
"This kid is this year's new disciple champion, right? I heard he has a Heavenly-grade spirit root!"
"Is that the Tian Wen spear he's carrying?"
"It looks like it. He's quite strong, but his cultivation is a bit weak, and his mind seems a little slow too. Otherwise, with a Heavenly-grade initial spirit root, his cultivation wouldn't be this low."
Zhang Ergou chose to ignore their discussions.
He had a feeling that this spear was by no means simple. He would rather choose this spear than those lighter weapons.
Carrying it while cultivating daily would also help improve his cultivation.
He could give the Qingtian Saber to Liu Cuilan now and help her improve her cultivation.
"Huh? People from the Liuhai Sect." Someone exclaimed, and everyone looked up at the sky.
There, a giant flying sword was streaking across, carrying three people: a beautiful middle-aged woman, a stunning beauty, and a handsome young man.
"Why are people from the Liuhai Sect here at our Piaomiao Sect?" someone asked in confusion.
"You wouldn't know, would you? In another six months, there will be a grand competition between the Liuhai Sect and the Piaomiao Sect. The Liuhai Sect's arrival must be to discuss matters concerning the competition."
"That female disciple is truly beautiful, like a fairy."
The crowd around them buzzed with discussion, but Zhang Ergou paid it little mind.
He had only joined the Piaomiao Sect a few days ago, and the competition was not something he needed to concern himself with yet.
Zhang Ergou watched the flying sword for a while. "It would be great if I could also fly on a sword!"
As if sensing someone watching her, the maiden on the flying sword glanced back down, but Zhang Ergou had already disappeared into the crowd, carrying his iron spear.
"What a strange feeling!" Ling Feng'er murmured.
"What's wrong, Junior Sister?"
"Nothing!"
Zhang Ergou returned to Chunyang Peak, the abode of Chunyang Sanren.
The back mountain of Chunyang Peak was lush with trees and abundant with flowers and grass, rivaling the other three main peaks.
*Phew!*
With a deep breath, Zhang Ergou stood the iron spear before him. He then took out a dagger and cut his finger.
He had heard that some high-grade weapons recognized their masters.
He dripped a drop of blood onto the spear, and the blood quickly merged into it.
Suddenly, the iron spear trembled, a blue light flashed, and a massive, invasive wave of information surged into Zhang Ergou's mind.
"Ah!"
The sudden sharp pain in his head made Zhang Ergou cry out in agony, clutching his head.
However, the pain came and went as quickly as it had appeared.
After a short while, the veins on Zhang Ergou's forehead subsided, and his dizzy eyes gradually regained clarity.
"Tianhuang Body Tempering!" Information surfaced in Zhang Ergou's mind.
Gradually, a look of ecstatic joy appeared on Zhang Ergou's face because the Tianwen Spear concealed a body-tempering secret art.
He had accidentally triggered the spear's seal by dripping his blood on it, releasing the secret art named "Tianhuang Body Tempering."
"Haha, I've struck gold!" He managed to suppress his excitement.
Zhang Ergou found a quiet spot, sat down, and began to meditate on the profound mysteries of the secret art.
Through his contemplation, Zhang Ergou discovered that Tianhuang Body Tempering was a secret art for refining the physical body.
This was something unheard of.
The world knew that cultivation involved refining spiritual energy from heaven and earth for one's own use to improve one's cultivation.
No one had ever heard of a technique for refining the physical body.