Chapter 92: Chapter 92 - Mysterious, Legendary

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

“The Autumn Anatidae Plume Saber can also make it onto the rankings?” Zhou Shu said in surprise. “This saber was just forged not too long ago. It doesn’t even have any battle achievements.”

“Superintendent Zhou, I’m afraid you underestimate the Heavenly Mountain Villa.” Yang Hong smiled.

“Let’s put it this way. As long as your saber has appeared in front of people, it will not escape the eyes of the Heavenly Mountain Villa. Nobody knows who their spies are. The people around us, even Lieutenant Cheng and me, might be spies from the Heavenly Mountain Villa.”

“That exaggerated?” Zhou Shu said. “Great Xia allows their spies to exist?”

He remembered that when Great Xia mobilized their forces to eliminate the spies of the enemy nation Great Wei, they had caused a bloodbath.

“I don’t know what the authorities are thinking. But according to my understanding, the Heavenly Mountain Villa doesn’t belong to any country. They’ve never done anything more than release the armament manual rankings. So no country is willing to attack them,” Yang Hong said.

“Secondly, no one knows how many spies the Heavenly Mountain Villa has. Targeting them will do more harm than good. Therefore, every country tacitly acknowledges their existence.”

Zhou Shu nodded. Yang Hong’s explanation might not necessarily be the truth, but it sounded reasonable. There was no point in investigating this matter.

However, he was very interested in this Standard Armament Manual. If it was really a ranking with credibility, then if the Autumn Anatidae Plume Saber could make it onto the rankings, it would be able to make a name for itself.

At that time, there would be no need to worry about not having the Country Protector Army purchase them.

“The Heavenly Mountain Villa’s armament manual rankings are released once every year?” Zhou Shu asked.

“Yes. The Standard Armament Manual is released in October of every year. The Ranked Armament Manual is released later, usually in February of the following year.” Yang Hong nodded. “It’s the end of September now. In a few days, it’ll be October. At that time, the new Standard Armament Manual will be announced.”

“That’s just a few days away,” Zhou Shu said in a low voice.

It was fine to wait a few days. A few days wouldn’t make a difference.

“This Heavenly Mountain Villa, when they announced the armament manual, did no one think of tracking them?” Zhou Shu asked curiously.

The power of the Great Xia Imperial Court was not weak, and the other countries on the land were also very powerful. It was somewhat strange that these countries didn’t know the origin of the Heavenly Mountain Villa.

“People have tried it before,” Yang Hong said, “But it’s useless. No one has deciphered the Heavenly Rock used by the Heavenly Mountain Villa to announce the armament manuals. No one knows how the words appeared on the stone.

“There were even people guarding the Heavenly Rock day and night to see if anyone approached, but no one discovered anything.”

“Heavenly Rock?” Zhou Shu said.

“The Heavenly Rock is a one hundred feet tall boulder. Every year, when the time comes, words will automatically appear on the Heavenly Rock. These are the armament manuals.”

“In other words, no one has ever seen the people from the Heavenly Mountain Villa? No one even knows if it’s one person or a group of people?” Zhou Shu asked.

Yang Hong nodded.

“Interesting,” Zhou Shu murmured. A mysterious organization, or perhaps a mysterious person, was actually able to announce rankings that everyone acknowledged.

This was not something an ordinary force could do.

However, when he thought about the existence of supernatural powers in this world, it didn’t seem that strange.

Who knew what strange powers existed in this world?

According to what Zhou Shu knew, martial arts experts above the third rank all possessed incredible abilities.

“Constable Yang, where is the Heavenly Rock that you mentioned? How will we know when the armament manual appears on it?” Zhou Shu asked.

“Don’t worry about that. Not only Great Xia, but all the other countries will send people to pay attention to the Heavenly Rock. Once the armament manual is released, it will immediately be spread throughout the world. At that time, it will be hard not to know,” Yang Hong said. “As for the Heavenly Rock, it’s on the shores of the Endless Sea at the edge of the Land of Command.”

The place Yang Hong spoke of was ten thousand miles away from Great Xia. It was probably impossible for Zhou Zhu to see it with his own eyes.

It seemed like he could only wait for the armament manual to be spread around in the world before he knew if the Autumn Anatidae Plume Saber could make it onto the rankings.

Speaking of which, although there were many standard weapons in this world, the Autumn Anatidae Plume Saber would definitely be able to make it onto the rankings.

Not only the Autumn Anatidae Plume Saber, but also the Hundred Refinements Ring Pommel Saber, Horse Slaying Saber, and the Spring Embroidered Saber…

Only the Huben Saber was slightly weaker. But even if it was weaker, it was definitely not weak.

“Constable Yang, if the weapons I’ve developed are ranked at the top of the Standard Armament Manual, would that be considered as bringing glory to the country?

“Will the Imperial Court reward handsomely?”

“This…” Yang Hong opened his mouth. He had never heard of such a reward.

“Forget it. His Majesty is too stingy. I won’t count on it,” Zhou Shu muttered while shaking his head.

If he rewarded them with a bunch of useless books again, it would be a disappointment.

Although Zhou Shu’s voice was quiet, Yang Hong still heard it clearly.

He secretly rolled his eyes and cursed in his heart.?In this world, only the second master of the Mi family would dare to say that His Majesty is stingy…

“Many thanks to the two of you. If not for you two, I really wouldn’t know that there are places like the Heavenly Mountain Villa and things like the armament manuals in this world.” Zhou Shu raised his cup and smiled.

“You’re too kind, Superintendent Zhou.” Yang Hong and Cheng Yong raised their glasses at the same time.

These things were no secret. Even if they didn’t say anything, Zhou Shu would find out sooner or later.

“Right, how much do the two of you know about Grand Craftsman Zhu Chuanfeng?” Zhou Shu casually asked.

“Grand Craftsman Zhu Chuanfeng?” Cheng Yong spoke first.

“Yes.” Zhou Shu nodded.

“Grand Craftsman Zhu is a legendary figure in Great Xia,” Cheng Yong said seriously, a respectful expression on his face. “If we’re talking about Grand Craftsman Zhu, his background is similar to yours, Superintendent Zhou.”

As soon as he said this, he hurriedly explained, “I’m not saying that you have a humble background…”

“You don’t have to explain. I understand. Go on.” Zhou Shu shook his head.

Yang Hong looked at Zhou Shu and Cheng Yong strangely. He thought that Cheng Yong didn’t know Zhou Shu’s true identity.

On the surface, he appeared to be a Forging Apprentice, but his real identity was the second master of the Mi family.

As for why he became a Forging Apprentice, he was probably rich and willful.

Cheng Yong continued, “In the beginning, Grand Craftsman Zhu was a blacksmith among the commoners. He was the kind of blacksmith who helped people forge iron pots, hoes, and kitchen knives.

“Later on, it was said that he happened to save a Forging Master. Then this Forging Master imparted his forging techniques to him. From then on, he started his legendary career.

“In just five years, he became a Forging Master. In another three years, he became a High-level Forging Master. In less than ten years, he successfully forged a heaven-grade weapon and became a Grand Craftsman!

“From the moment he came into contact with true weapon forging techniques, he became a Grand Craftsman in less than twenty years. It is said that his speed is ranked among the top among all Grand Craftsmen.

“Furthermore, most of the Grand Craftsmen of the Forging Division have the support of their families. Grand Craftsman Zhu Chuanfeng, on the other hand, is different. He truly advanced without any support.”

As Zhou Shu listened to Cheng Yong’s description, he began to compare himself to the Zhu Chuanfeng he knew.

The Zhu Chuanfeng he had come into contact with was a tyrannical and unreasonable person. He was even somewhat unscrupulous.

However, this didn’t seem to contradict his hard work.

For a person to climb from the lowest level to the position of Grand Craftsman, this was definitely not something determined solely by talent. Without some means, it was impossible to accomplish.

Such a person might not be a good person if he was judged based on conventional morals.

However, it was undeniable that such a person was definitely not simple.

Zhu Chuanfeng is probably more frightening than Cheng Yong’s description. If he took out those heaven-grade weapons in his secret chamber, it would shock the world,?Zhou Shu thought. He was not completely ignorant about forging.

Even for Grand Craftsmen, the number of heaven-grade weapons they could forge in their lifetime was extremely limited.

Ordinary Grand Craftsmen could forge three to five heaven-grade weapons in their lifetime, and this was already an achievement.

To be able to forge ten or more heaven-grade weapons, he was definitely a top-notch Grand Craftsman.

Zhu Chuanfeng had seven heaven-grade weapons in his secret chamber. In addition to the ones he had previously made public, it had already surpassed ten.

With such strength, there was probably no one in Great Xia who could compare to him.

Even in the entire continent, there were no more than a handful of people who surpassed him when it came to forging heaven-grade weapons.

But why did Zhu Chuanfeng keep those heaven-grade weapons a secret?

Even if he was unwilling to sell, it didn’t explain why he didn’t announce his forging results.

The more he thought about it, the more suspicious he became. Even if Zhu Chuanfeng wanted to leave some trump cards for himself, one or two heaven-grade weapons would be enough. Seven was too many.

“It is as Lieutenant Cheng said,” Yang Hong added. “Before Grand Craftsman Zhu became a forger, he was a blacksmith in a village. After receiving just a few days of teachings from a Forging Master, he became a Grand Craftsman. Countless Forging Masters view him as their idol. I heard that in a few years, Grand Craftsman Zhu might become the strongest Grand Craftsman in Great Xia.”

“The Forging Master that he saved is also extraordinary. In just a few days, he created a Grand Craftsman,” Zhou Shu said.

Yang Hong and Cheng Yong were stunned. No one had ever thought of this from this angle. It was said that Grand Craftsman Zhu was extremely talented, but very few people mentioned the Forging Master who made him a Grand Craftsman.

“Do you know who that Forging Master is? Is he still alive?” Zhou Shu asked in a low voice.

“I really don’t know.” Yang Hong pondered for a moment and shook his head. “I’ve heard this rumor many times, but I’ve never heard anyone mention the name of this Forging Master.”

“Grand Craftsman Zhu has also mentioned this experience many times in public. But he has never mentioned the name of the Forging Master that he treats as his master, or he just wants to keep the honored one a secret.

“Superintendent Zhou, if you’re interested in Grand Craftsman Zhu’s legend, why don’t you go to the Forging Division’s archives and take a look? Every Grand Craftsman’s details are recorded in the documents of the Forging Division,” Yang Hong added.