“The living cannot be bound by dead rules. With the merits Zimo earned in this war, not just Weapon Mountain, even ten of them would not be too much.
Some debts cannot be repaid so simply.”
Hearing the words of Venerable Nu, Rock Solid nodded in agreement.
It was like how Zimo had saved the Stone Race, such a debt could not be repaid with just one or two deeds.
“What Weapon Mountain are you guys talking about?” Zimo asked in confusion. “Why does it sound so mysterious to me?”
“Weapon Mountain is a very famous structure of our Heavenly Dao Academy,” Rock Solid quickly explained. “Legend has it that long ago, one of the Academy’s Ten Sages, the Sage of Forging, once refined a supreme divine weapon there. The runes of the divine weapon were engraved into the very earth. From then on, whenever a forging master of the Academy sat in death, they would choose that place, treating it as sacred ground. And whenever there was a masterless divine weapon, it too would be buried within that mountain.”
“But what does that have to do with forging?” Zimo asked.
“Listen, over time, more and more divine weapons and more and more fallen masters of forging gathered there. Through long accumulation, a unique Aura of Purity was born.”
“Yes, this Aura of Purity can increase the success rate of forging by at least thirty percent,” Venerable Nu added. “And if heavenly tribulation descends, the Aura of Purity can lessen its power.”
“That I’ve never heard of. Interesting,” Zimo said with a smile. “However, even though the Aura of Purity is powerful, Weapon Mountain is also the place where countless seniors sat in death. So the Academy forbids others from forging there, so as not to disturb them,” Rock Solid explained. “But in this special situation, I believe the Dean will agree.”
“Then let’s go,” Zimo nodded.
…………
At this time, Heavenly Dao Academy had just survived a great war.
They had to face external enemies, reorganize the Academy after the death of the ancestors of imperial lineages, and rebuild many ruins that had collapsed.
As the Dean, the woman in white naturally was the busiest of all.
When Zimo and the others came to her, she pondered for a moment, then agreed.
“Go. But if possible, don’t break the peace there.”
The group left the inner courtyard of the Academy and headed straight south.
Venerable Nu knew the road, so he led the way.
As they went further south, the buildings before them gradually disappeared.
Pavilions and towers gave way to forest.
Weeds grew everywhere, some taller than the people themselves, giving an air of desolation.
Because this area was near Weapon Mountain, few people ever came. After the war of the Heavenly Dao Academy, this place had remained one of the most intact.
“Look there,” Venerable Nu pointed ahead. “That is Weapon Mountain.”
Zimo looked into the distance and saw at the edge of his vision a towering peak.
It was not quite piercing the clouds, but it was still very grand.
The shape of the entire mountain looked at times like a sword, sometimes like a staff, a spear, or a halberd…
From different angles, one could see different meanings.
But unique to it all was the aura of the mountain.
It seemed to condense the intent of ten thousand weapons.
Like the Myriad Weapons Physique that Zimo had encountered before, where all weapon-intent was gathered into one.
But that was one in ten thousand, a rare battle physique.
Weapon Mountain, in truth, was nothing more than a resting place of weapons.
Sometimes Zimo could not help but marvel at the uncanny craftsmanship of the world.
…………
As the group drew closer to Weapon Mountain, they could clearly see on the mountain itself.
Broken swords, long spears, and all kinds of weapons were thrust into the ridges.
Some were half-buried, the exposed parts weathered by sun and rain, their colors changed.
Many more weapons were completely buried in the mountain.
When the three of them set foot on Weapon Mountain, they immediately felt like thorns were pricking their backs.
It was as though something terrifying had fixed its gaze on them.
From soul to flesh, it gave them an uneasy feeling.
“Don’t worry. Don’t hold any hostility. Just head straight for the peak,” Venerable Nu reminded them.
The three climbed along a mountain path toward the top.
“The Drunken Rain Sword, three feet long, was the sword of the Drunken Rain Swordsman. With its strike, wind and thunder shook, wine and song filled the world. Later, when the swordsman sat in death here, the sword never left its sheath again.”
As they walked, whenever they passed famous weapons, Venerable Nu would explain to the others.
“The Sunfire Spear, once the signature weapon of the Sunfire Sage. One Sunfire Spear in hand, no friend was left unshaken across the land.”
“The Dragon-Binding Chain, able to leap among the stars, dive into seas of serpents, feared by ghosts. It was the proudest creation of the Weapon Master You Zicheng.”
Venerable Nu’s voice continued as they went up the mountain, retelling stories that had long been buried and forgotten.
There were many strong figures in this world, but most of them were eventually forgotten.
Because the world only remembers those few who stand at the very top.
All the others, if they do not reappear, are slowly erased from memory, lost to the dust of time.
…………
Half an hour later, the three reached the summit without incident.
Weapon Mountain lay at the southern corner. From the top, one could see a quarter of the Heavenly Dao Academy spread out before them.
Each of them looked at the view with different emotions.
“Here will do,” Venerable Nu instructed.
“I and Zimo will guard. You do the forging. It must succeed.”
Rock Solid nodded heavily.
For a forging master, to be able to forge a divine weapon was in itself a supreme honor.
When Zimo took out the Supreme God Hammer and the Nine-Curve God Flame, the surrounding space began to shift.
Zimo then took out the True God Sword.
Five fragments, and the sword soul.
“What a sword,” Rock Solid exclaimed. “The materials of this sword are almost unheard of. In all my years of forging, I have never seen a blade that could compare to this. No, not even compare, the ones I’ve made don’t even have the qualification to stand beside it.”
Rock Solid held the sword in his hands as though gazing at a flawless piece of jade, his eyes shining.
“This sword was already forged long ago. It only shattered, and now it needs reforging,” Zimo explained. “Nothing needs to be changed. Just restore it to its original form.”
“Rest assured,” Rock Solid nodded firmly. “This sword will certainly become famous throughout the world. And it will be unique.”
Zimo just smiled and said nothing.
He didn’t care if the True God Sword became famous. He wanted it only to open the Ancient Celestial Court.
To serve as the key.
After that, he would destroy it, and use it to reforge Shadow Tyrant.
Shadow Tyrant was his true love.
Rock Solid sat cross-legged. He did not rush to begin forging.
Instead, he closed his eyes, regulating his breath, letting his spirit, energy, and essence reach their ultimate state.