Volume Two: The Arsenal Chapter 114: A Request to Enter This Jar

Just as Liu Xiaoyi was about to speak, the murmurs around gradually ceased. A figure emerged from behind the main seat’s screen, with Mr. Hu standing steadily to his left.

Qi Bang, the lord of Tuqiu City, wore a loose robe with his sleeves rolled up. Raising his wine cup, he declared loudly, “Gentlemen, I am truly honored that you could grace this banquet with your presence today! On behalf of the military and civilians of Tuqiu City, I propose a toast to all you chivalrous heroes!”

“To the city lord’s courtesy!” The guests raised their cups and drank deeply. Attendants hurriedly refilled the cups by their sides. The atmosphere was grand, befitting one of the finest banquets in Central Plains.

There were no fewer than three hundred seated guests, with many more standing or sitting casually in the front courtyard—though those lacked the status to be given seats.

Qi Bang’s sharp, narrow face did not suggest a man skilled in martial arts. Beside him stood a young man bearing a strong resemblance—likely his treasured son.

From any angle, Young Master Qi was no match for the Holy Maiden of the Sacred Sovereign Hall. Without his privileged birth, he might have been condemned to a humble trader’s fate.

The knights could all see that Young Master Qi was a good-for-nothing, but they praised him profusely. After all, the rewards were generous: each participant would receive ten gold bars. Everyone present today could claim their share from the guards outside. For those who accompanied the young master to the end, there was an even greater reward—a divine weapon, said to be forged by a master hidden deep within the Great Wilderness, imbued with a spirit so profound that no one had yet mastered it.

At that moment, the divine weapon was kept in a secret chamber in the rear courtyard of the Qi residence. Whoever managed to escort Young Master Qi to Heart Lake Island would have the opportunity to claim this weapon as their own.

Many came simply for the participation prize of ten gold bars, hence their smiles never faded. Liu Xiaoyi noticed some even had facial twitches from forced grinning.

Qi Bang flung his wine cup to the ground and stepped forward, surveying the crowd. “You all came for the hope of the Heavenly Court! With the rise of the Qin dynasty, the South Wasteland will use Tuqiu City as a target. As the city lord, I bear the responsibility to protect our citizens and uphold the dignity of the Great Wilderness! But alas, lacking skill myself, I must rely on the hands of the Sacred Sovereign Hall! A deal offered on a silver platter—please, I implore you all to grant this favor!”

“This is my worthless son! You can see for yourselves how skinny he is, without any talent! But that only serves to highlight your capabilities! Deliver him safely to Heart Lake Island, and he shall become the leader. This divine weapon will then belong to that master!” Qi Bang waved his hand, and with a rumble, the artificial hill in the courtyard cracked open, revealing a golden dragon-wrapped spear to all.

Moon staffs, year blades, and lifelong spears—the guests felt deflated upon seeing the weapon was a spear. Most favored swords or blades, which were easier to carry and conceal. Those who dared to master the spear were invariably from wealthy clans, with time, resources, and excellent teachers.

Qi Bang seemed to have anticipated their reaction and cleared his throat. “Do not despair, this divine weapon’s power lies in its ability to change form once it chooses its master. After blood is shed, it will obey the wielder’s will. The spear form is but the shape left by its previous owner.”

“May I ask, city lord, who was the previous master of this spear?” a curious knight inquired.

“Desperate Spear, Xu San!”

That name resonated throughout the Great Wilderness. Everyone knew the might of Xu San, who had overturned eighteen sects with his spear, forcing all the mountain gates to seal tight, with no disciples daring to venture out for an entire year.

“But Xu San is still alive, so how did this divine weapon end up with you?”

Xu San was well and alive, so how could his weapon have left his possession? Rumors spread fast in the martial world; if anything happened to Xu San, no one would remain uninformed.

Qi Bang replied, “You are mistaken. Xu San has reached another realm where he must refine a weapon suited to his will. Since this divine weapon is a worldly item acquired later, he entrusted it to me to find a new master.”

Hearing this, the guests finally understood why rumors of Xu San had ceased recently—he had transcended to a higher plane, distancing himself further from them.

Though his stature was unattainable to most present, the divine weapon was still worth contesting. Immediately, one man stood, clasping his fists. “City lord, if you lend me this spear, I guarantee the young master will stand firm on Heart Lake Island!”

Everyone glanced over; this man was no ordinary figure. Though not as renowned as Xu San, he was well-known around Tuqiu City—Duanyan Spear Duan Tong!

“That won’t do,” another stood up, his cultivation level near the eleventh tier of the Earth Soul Realm. He was Wang Zhen, known for his Wind-Splitting Palm Technique. “Though you wield the spear, city lord said this weapon moves with its master’s will. Dare you spar with me?”

Duan Tong laughed immediately. “You rely on palm techniques—what need have you for a weapon? Better let me wield it!”

Wang Zhen kicked up a chest-high staff from the ground and smashed it down. “Though the world knows me for my palms, few know I’ve trained with the staff since childhood. Why shouldn’t I use a divine weapon?”

Their eyes locked, and without further words, the two moved to the open space by the artificial hill, ready to duel. Qi Bang could only cheer, “Gentlemen, spare each other—just a friendly match, just a friendly match.”

The two experts, evenly matched, went at it immediately, their fight drawing continuous applause from the knights.

Seizing the opportunity, the old rascal beside Liu Xiaoyi leaned in, saying, “Young master, why arrive only now? I have been waiting a year.”

He was the man who had given Liu Xiaoyi a jade pendant and a message a year ago in Jingqi City. Liu Xiaoyi had not expected to see him here and felt somewhat at a loss. “Sir, may I ask why you summoned me to the Great Wilderness?”

“Your mother sought to harm you. I am here to help your father save you!” The old rascal spoke briefly, just as Qi Bang approached and asked, “Uncle, do you know this guest from afar?”

The old man waved his hand quickly. “Know him? No, but he’s young and sitting so close to the front—that’s curious enough.”

Qi Bang thought little of it. His elder uncle, a man of high standing in the clan, had inexplicably taken to living in Tuqiu City, enduring the dust every day without leaving despite all efforts to persuade him.

“This young hero Liu may be young, but his skills are formidable. This old uncle’s judgment is sharp!” Qi Bang praised, raising his thumb.

The old man stroked his beard and laughed heartily. “Whether his skills are true, we shall see soon enough!”

Unnoticed, he curled his left finger beneath the table. Suddenly, the divine weapon flew from the artificial hill on its own, the spear’s tip aimed straight at Liu Xiaoyi!