Chapter 56

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Chapter 56: Dream Emperor Spear and Dream Emperor Sword

"A common weapon of the mystery rank? " Chang Xiang’s words startled Lou Yun:" Why?"

"No way to tell if it’s because you forged a weapon with the Azure Cloud Cauldron for the first time, or for other reasons. The energy unleashed when you formed the heavenly and earthly marks just now was astonishing, and it all poured into the common weapon. Pity your materials weren’t up to par, and you formed only the most basic level-one mark. Thus, it forged into an initial three-star common weapon, precisely aligned with your intent. But it hardly matters anyway—you needed to devour it to raise your magical weapon’s grade!"

Lou Yun absorbed another piece of knowledge: during weapon forging, the amount of worldly energy harnessed in the final spirit-awakening step profoundly influenced the common weapon’s rank.

It dawned on him then—that tremendous explosion from the Azure Cloud Cauldron must have alarmed people. He was about to dash outside and investigate when Chang Xiang cut in: "You did attract attention. A few came over, but they got blocked before reaching you."

"Blocked by whom?"

"Can’t say who, only that it was a profound-level magical weapons master! They’ve left now!"

The whole Ancient Weapon Academy had but one profound-level magical weapons master—Headmaster Xia Guanqiu. That had to be him. Lou Yun couldn’t fathom it. Xia Guanqiu should’ve surely detected his presence. Why hadn’t he approached Lou Yun himself, instead just halting the others?

Shaking his head, Lou Yun lifted the freshly forged spear. "Still early in the day. I might as well start devouring it right away and boost my magical weapon’s grade!"

Before Chang Xiang could respond, Lou Yun shook his head again. "No, it took three days and nights last time to Devour Weapons. If it drags on that long again, the Academy will lose its mind. Sigh. Training here brings benefits, sure… but this rigid schedule where I can’t control my own time? Thoroughly irritating."

That train of thought circled back to his purpose at the Ancient Weapon Academy: "Still haven’t even met the Headmaster. Even if I do—how could I possibly persuade him to take action? When will we students finally get to carry out missions?"

Chang Xiang could offer no help on that front, so he stayed silent. Only after Lou Yun vented his frustration did Chang Xiang speak. "Enough complaining. Can’t upgrade your weapon now, but I can teach you a few sets of weapon techniques to drill."

"Great!" Lou Yun instantly perked up.

Instead of proceeding, Chang Xiang scrutinized him for moments. "I want to give it a try… have you cultivate weapon techniques that don’t require a weapon to execute."

"Techniques that don’t use a weapon?" Lou Yun pondered this, raising a fist. "Use… my body?"

"Right!" Chang Xiang nodded. "Executing weapon techniques with magical or common weapons can unleash far greater destructive force—it maximizes the technique’s potency. But you could first train to wield weapon techniques with your body alone. Keep magical or common weapons as your hidden trump card. Don’t reveal them until the critical moment. That keeps opponents guessing about your limits—a massive advantage."

Lou Yun frowned. "Earlier you said even empty hands could manifest a weapon technique’s power. Now you claim weapons amplify it more. Which is it?"

Chang Xiang glared fiercely. "I’m talking about true masters. Right now? You’re not any kind of master—not high, not low-level! You’re leagues away!"

"So when would I count as a true master?"

"Hard to quantify. Depends entirely on your own insights. Remember what I said—if you comprehend the natural principles, grasp the ‘Essence’ within every weapon technique? Then you’re approaching a true master. Otherwise? Even if your cultivation hits king rank or emperor rank—still not a true master!"

Lou Yun now fully grasped Chang Xiang’s intention. Until becoming a true master, his power levels would rank as: strongest with a magical weapon, second strongest with a common weapon, weakest bare-handed. Thus, Chang Xiang advised this path: first employ weapon techniques bare-handed, escalate to common weapons when necessary, and only resort to the ultimate ace—a magical weapon—in desperate straits.

Chang Xiang seemed a walking vault of weapon manuals. After lengthy rumination, he announced: "Very well. I’ll teach you one fist-fighting technique and one spear technique."

"Fist-fighting technique? That counts as a weapon technique?"

Weapon techniques, in Lou Yun’s mind, meant those executed via tools—magical or common weapons. Empty-handed martial arts? What warriors studied when utterly unarmed—inferior and inconsequential!

Chang Xiang, aware of his prejudice, shook his head. "How many times must I say it? Your notion that magical weapons masters are inherently supreme is fundamentally flawed! Fist combat is a weapon technique—using the human body as the weapon! Enough debate. Want to learn or not?"

Human Body As A Weapon!

Those four words struck Lou Yun with profound impact. His thinking had been rigidly narrow. Viewing the human form as a weapon? Then fist techniques are indeed weapon techniques!

Understanding this, Lou Yun agreed without hesitation: "I’ll learn!"

Then, grinning cheekily, he pressed: "So what rank are this fist art and spear technique?"

Chang Xiang heaved an exaggerated sigh of defeat. "Higher grade than both Sword Dance of Wind and Thunder and Fierce Sword. They’re mid-tier moon-grade techniques! Satisfied?"

⋯

Though Lou Yun had mastered two new weapon techniques, advancing his magical weapon preoccupied him relentlessly. The very next day, he sought out Qian Ruming.

"Teacher Qian, I’d like to request a few days leave."

Qian Ruming squinted her small eyes and glanced at Lou Yun. "A few days? Reason?"

Lou Yun pondered. Last time, devouring a two-star common weapon had taken three full days and nights. This time, devouring a three-star common weapon would likely take even longer. "Five days. The reason is… I haven’t been feeling well lately and need to rest!"

He didn’t dare say it was to enhance his magical weapon because that would inevitably invite Qian Ruming’s questions about why enhancing a magical weapon would require five whole days. So he spun a lie.

Given Qian Ruming’s experience, how could she possibly fail to see his deception? Still, she chose not to expose him. She held Lou Yun in high regard and firmly believed his leave request stemmed from some serious purpose, not frivolity or mere rest.

"Five days is a bit long. Considering your performance and effort since admission, the academy has decided to send you on a mission in three days…"

Before Qian Ruming could finish, Lou Yun urgently interjected, "Three days! Three days will be enough!" His primary purpose for being here was precisely to undertake missions and gain rewards. Now that a mission finally appeared, he absolutely couldn’t miss it!

"Fine, you have three days. By the way, will you be staying on-campus or leaving the academy grounds?"

Though Lou Yun really wanted to train outside the academy, he was completely unfamiliar with the surrounding area and had no idea where to go. So he had to stay within the academy confines.

Qian Ruming simply waved her hand. Sensing her dismissal, Lou Yun quickly expressed his thanks and departed. He had expected requesting leave to be difficult; its unexpected smoothness surprised him.

Back in his room, Lou Yun patiently waited for nightfall. He had no choice but to return to the cave behind the waterfall to cultivate.

Finally, stepping into the cave once more, Lou Yun sat cross-legged. He retrieved the newly forged common weapon spear from his ring and placed it squarely across his thighs. Then, he poked Xiao Huo’s nose lightly. "Xiao Huo, last time it was all thanks to you, otherwise I’d have died. So, if you sense anything wrong this time, remember to warn us promptly!"

For extra caution, Lou Yun had even brought Xiao Huo along.

Whether Xiao Huo understood his words was unclear, but the little creature nodded its head up and down a few times.

Taking a deep breath, Lou Yun began his second Devour Weapons attempt.

Though he had experienced it once before, neither Lou Yun nor Chang Xiang dared be complacent this time. There was no telling what unforeseen circumstances might arise during the devouring process.

Fortunately, the process mirrored the previous one exactly. The Dream Emperor Sword, imbued with all of Lou Yun’s spiritual energy, enveloped the common spear spear. A vortex formed, grinding and crushing the spear through friction and pressure. Once again, three full days and nights were consumed.

As for his spiritual energy reserves – perhaps because Lou Yun had achieved the second body refinement – his internal spiritual energy had doubled. This time, it barely sufficed, sparing Chang Xiang the need to intervene. Still, once the devouring finished, Lou Yun’s spiritual energy was utterly depleted. He collapsed onto the cave floor like an empty husk, devoid of even the strength to gaze upon his transformed magical weapon.

As soon as he recovered a sliver of spiritual energy, Lou Yun struggled frantically from his prone state into a seated position. His eyes snapped eagerly to his magical weapon.

Lou Yun’s new primary three-star magical weapon could no longer rightly be called the Dream Emperor Sword. It demanded a new name: the Dream Emperor Spear!

Before his eyes, his magical weapon had completely shed its former sword shape, morphing instead into the unmistakable form of a spear!

Lou Yun hadn’t entirely believed Chang Xiang’s earlier prediction. Yet here was undeniable proof, forcing him to accept it.

"It really transformed into a spear!"

Chang Xiang wore an expression of smug vindication. "Did you think I taught you a set of spear techniques for no reason? The moment I saw you forging the common weapon into a spear, I knew you intended an experiment!"

For his earlier disbelief, Lou Yun could only offer sheepish, awkward chuckles to gloss over it.

Observing the Dream Emperor Spear, a troublesome realization quickly hit him. Every person who had seen his magical weapon thus far knew it was a sword. How could he possibly explain its transformation into a spear now?

Unless he refrained from using his magical weapon altogether, drawing it in public would spell disaster! A magical weapon spontaneously changing shape – this would surely be a first in all recorded history of Spirit Weapon Star!

Chang Xiang could only shrug helplessly, offering no solution.

"Ah, I’ll worry about that later!" Lou Yun truly couldn’t conjure a better plan. "For now, let me try out the spear techniques you taught me!"

Lou Yun sprang to his feet, spear in hand. He prepared to take a stance and begin practicing, yet froze suddenly, locked in the grasping posture like a statue.

Chang Xiang stared at him, baffled. "What’s wrong now?"

Ignoring him, Lou Yun glanced at the Dream Emperor Spear in his grip. A sphere of white light abruptly flared over his arm and surged into the spear. The ensuing spectacle left Chang Xiang utterly dumbfounded.

Under the propulsion of Lou Yun’s spiritual energy, the Dream Emperor Spear’s form began to shift and flow. Slowly, steadily, it reverted to a shape profoundly familiar to Lou Yun – its original configuration as his magical weapon. The shape of a sword.

The Dream Emperor Sword had reappeared!