Chapter Fifty: Ancient Weapon

The information Sun Jiulou gave to Ye Ran concerned the underground lairs and ancient weapons.

To be honest, Ye Ran was quite shocked upon first seeing the dossier, for it described things far beyond the bounds of common sense.

Even he had not realized that the catalyst for all this was the recent incident when he, Mars, Xu Nan, and Atreis ventured into the underground lair.

After Ye Ran killed the mutated golden ant on the third level, it transformed into a golden spear. Though he had no time to ponder this deeply, the Martial Spirit Hall and the Atre family reacted instantly. At the same time, Redleaf Academy, the Sixth Divine Temple, and the Temple of Thunder all mobilized their own people to investigate.

Because of Xu Nan and Mars’s involvement, Tiding Academy also began a covert inquiry.

The findings were astonishing. The underground lair, whose history far predates that of Torrent City, was once an ancient battlefield. In that era, warriors from the Hundred Tribes wielded divine weapons, defied fate and the heavens, only to fall like meteors.

Three thousand years after the Hundred Tribes vanished, the underground lair emerged, sparsely populated by strange lifeforms that rapidly multiplied.

Then, as humanity flourished and Torrent City rose to prominence, the underground lair became a place of mystery and a paradise for adventurers.

Many who entered the lair returned maimed, yet a few emerged bearing unusual weapons. Rare as they were, rumors still spread.

Atreis himself had entered the lair because of these whispers, but the subsequent investigations yielded unexpected results.

It seemed a transformation had occurred within the lair: all the ancient weapons buried in dirt and sand had vanished. Yet, when some giant or mutated beasts died, they would transform into unique weapons. Multiple investigations confirmed that mutated monsters did, in fact, become weapons upon death.

Of the six mutated monsters killed by Tiding Academy’s investigators, every single one turned into a weapon—each with a storied past and of a craftsmanship wholly distinct from modern forging techniques.

The chance of ordinary giant beasts becoming ancient weapons was exceedingly small.

As for the Gatekeepers... no one knew. To date, none had ever been slain.

Veterans like Sun Jiulou could not easily act, for no one yet knew the true strength of the Gatekeepers on levels one through seven of the lair. Every adventurer who had attempted to slay a Gatekeeper had perished—most of them in grisly fashion. Even masters such as Zhiyu, Nong Guang, and Qianlong had retreated pale and shaken.

Sun Jiulou remarked, “There’s something you might not know. After Qianlong and the other two challenged the fifth-level Gatekeeper, all seven Gatekeepers appeared together that same night on Lanxie Avenue in Torrent City. If not for the combined efforts of the masters from the Brann Manor and the nobles’ retainers along Lanxie Avenue, a massacre would have been unavoidable.”

“All seven Gatekeepers appeared together?” Ye Ran’s brows knit in a frown. “Did they fight?”

Sun Jiulou nodded slightly. “Only briefly, testing one another. Each harbored misgivings, and they eventually reached an accord. Otherwise, that matter could never have been settled so quietly.”

Ye Ran asked, “The seven Gatekeepers are enough to make even all the masters of Torrent City wary?”

Torrent City teemed with experts; the Brann Manor, the three great academies, and the major clans all had formidable warriors in residence.

Many claimed Qianlong was the city’s greatest fighter, but that referred only to the younger generation. If all the city’s old monsters emerged, Qianlong would be nothing in comparison.

Yet the seven Gatekeepers had faced nearly half of these “old monsters” of Torrent City.

Sun Jiulou chuckled. “Their strength is beyond question. For Qianlong, Zhiyu, and Nong Guang to defeat even the first level’s Green Giant Lizard was no easy feat—the prowess of the other six is evident. Moreover, each of the seven Gatekeepers wields an ancient divine weapon—true god-forged arms, feared even by the gods and demons.”

True ancient divine weapons—Ye Ran was suddenly reminded of the purple-haired woman.

He still recalled the startled cry of that high-ranking demon the night she appeared.

A renowned ancient blade—those were the words.

If so, that purple-haired woman’s identity...

“Innocence is no defense when one possesses a treasure. Ye Ran, can you foresee what comes next?” Sun Jiulou interrupted his thoughts.

Ye Ran returned to himself and nodded. “The Chosen dispatched by the Temple to Redleaf Academy aren’t top-tier experts. Martial Hero Hall, the Silver Warrior Palace... at best, they’re middling. Where, then, are the Temple’s true elites?”

Sun Jiulou smiled, gesturing downward with his thumb.

The Temple’s true masters had already entered Torrent City—they merely concealed their presence.

Ye Ran understood. “So the next step is probing. In matters of intrigue, I think we have the upper hand...”

He turned and said, “Elder, is this also why you wanted me to befriend the luminaries on the Martial Ranking? This probing phase won’t be brief, and most of those I’ll be dealing with from now on will be the Temple’s experts and those renowned figures from Redleaf Academy’s ranking—isn’t that so?”

He suddenly thought of Michelle.

That girl... unbeknownst to them both, they now stood on opposing sides.

Sun Jiulou smiled. “Ye Ran, your understanding of the situation is quite clear—so it is. For now, you’re still somewhat outmatched against them; cultivating your vital energy and deepening your foundation should be your main focus.”

Ye Ran nodded in agreement.

Sun Jiulou continued, “I’ve already discussed with the principal. You needn’t attend classes with the other students anymore. From now on, I, Teacher Meow, and the principal will instruct you personally—that’s our compensation for dragging you into these waters.”

Ye Ran was touched. He bowed and said, “Elder, whatever the reason, I will remember your kindness for a lifetime.”

“Haha, you make it sound far too grave. Spend more time exploring the underground lair in the coming days. Besides us, all the city’s guilds are getting restless as well.”

...

After Ye Ran left, Sun Jiulou, hands clasped behind his back, strode to the teaching building. It had twelve floors, but he ascended with ease, the glass door to the left of the stairs sliding open automatically.

Inside, a middle-aged man with gentle features and a scholarly air was writing with a quill pen. Seeing Sun Jiulou, he rose quickly and offered his seat. “Old Sun, you’re here—please, sit.”

Sun Jiulou made no pretense, rolling up his sleeves and settling onto the sofa with a cheerful smile. “Little Lin, everything’s been arranged with Ye Ran. From here on, it’s up to you.”

The man called “Little Lin” smiled. “Old Sun, I’ve heard all about Ye Ran. He’ll be involved, but the truly important one is Ronin. I trust her more with these matters.”

As he spoke, he poured a cup of hot tea for Sun Jiulou.

Sun Jiulou accepted the cup with a smile. “That’s what I thought at first, too. Ronin is truly outstanding. If Bei Yuming would also participate, our chances would be even greater. But after speaking with Ye Ran today, I’ve changed my mind.”

“Oh? How so, Old Sun?”

“Little Lin, you don’t know Ye Ran well enough—perhaps not even I do. He’s a genius in martial arts, born to be a warrior, but no one truly understands his other side: the wisdom to survey from on high and pierce to the heart of a matter with a single word...”

“This young man—there is a rare, unpolished brilliance about him.”

...