Chapter 696 - I Shall Pay for Master Han Wu!

At Qixia Town’s ore plaza, the sound of the crowd was incessant. People gathered there every day to purchase ores. Some were warriors who bought them for personal use. Others were servants who purchased them on behalf of their masters. This scene was common in this civilization, and everyone had grown accustomed to it.

Today, however, was special. The crowd saw someone who shouldn’t have been there: Guan Nan.

He brought Han Wu to the plaza and greeted everyone he knew there. Those who saw him turned ghastly pale and quickly avoided his gaze.

Guan Nan understood the reason. They had been certain that the Profound Netherworld Cult would eradicate the Guan family, so none of them had offered help. Now that his family had survived, they felt too ashamed to even look at him. They were probably wondering why the Profound Netherworld Cult had failed to destroy them.

Guan Nan knew the answer, but he kept it to himself. Because of the Profound Netherworld Cult, his relationship with the townspeople was on thin ice. He had no desire to create further trouble for them.

He led Han Wu into the spacious plaza, where more than 200 wooden display tables filled the open area. Each table displayed different ores, and the customers could check them with their senses and pay on the spot if they wished to take them. Several special rooms also stood nearby, where customers could bring their ores to cultivate.

Han Wu spotted numerous ores that could help him upgrade his Small Locust Blade.

“Benefactor, these ores can be found almost anywhere,” Guan Nan explained. “They work well for Common Divine Weapons. However, once you possess Faith Divine Weapons, you have to choose your ores carefully to unlock even greater potential.”

Han Wu had only been here for a few days and didn’t understand the reasoning, so he asked for further clarification.

Guan Nan was patient and explained in detail. “Nurturing a Divine Weapon is like raising a child. They can survive on wild vegetables and roots, on buns and pickled vegetables, or on fish and meat.

“However, the environment in which the child grows will drastically influence what they become. Divine Weapons follow the same principle. You can technically use any ore to upgrade and nurture your Common Divine Weapon.

“That changes for Faith Divine Weapons. Their skills, effects, or possible upgrade paths demand more careful choices. You need to select one upgrade path and gather the necessary supporting materials. Only then can you upgrade and guide it closer to the form you envision.”

Han Wu learned a great deal from the explanation. For example, his Explosive Locust Blade was a Faith Divine Weapon. He could strengthen its explosive power, or he could follow the Small Locust Blade’s path and upgrade its durability.

If he actually did it, however, the Explosive Locust Blade would become useless. He felt relieved that he hadn’t allowed it to absorb random ores or Divine Weapons without a plan. Instead, he had carefully selected materials that would enhance its long-term potential.

While he was focused on the lesson, a mocking voice sounded behind them. “And here I thought I recognized someone. Guan Nan, you are still alive?”

Guan Nan turned and saw a familiar figure. The town wasn’t large, but it wasn’t small enough for a single family to dominate it. Three other families possessed power and wealth comparable to the Guan family. Among them, the Cao family was their strongest rival.

Guan Nan even suspected that the Cao family had provided information to the Profound Netherworld Cult, which had triggered the entire crisis.

Guan Nan abandoned all courtesy and responded with open hostility. “Cao bastard, isn’t it normal for me to still be alive? You haven’t even died before me yet.”

“Don’t get cocky. The old ghost of black mountain probably has something more important to deal with, so he didn’t have the time to visit you. Cherish what little time you have.” Cao Xing chuckled mockingly, which made it clear that he had no idea what had happened the previous day.

He then turned to Han Wu. “Who are you? Since when do you have the right to visit the plaza at the same time as me?”

Han Wu smiled warmly, his expression as bright as sunlight. He looked at Cao Xing with a kindly gaze, as though greeting a long-lost friend.

“You are a simpleton too. What a misfortune.” Cao Xing waved his hand in disgust and walked away.

Han Wu looked at Cao Xing leaving and asked casually, “Just a thought. Do you think it would affect you if I killed him?”

Han Wu had no intention of interfering in the Guan family’s affairs, but Cao Xing had insulted him for no reason. Han Wu hadn’t done anything to provoke it, and the sudden insult irritated him. Besides, as an outsider, he could act as he pleased. This civilization’s rules wouldn’t hold him responsible.

Guan Nan had never seen Han Wu fight before, but he knew Han Wu was strong from the way he had killed the old ghost of black mountain alone. He was more than happy to use Han Wu to remove the Guan family’s enemy. “Benefactor, as you wish.”

“Don’t worry. I will make sure it looks like an accident so no one will find out that we did it,” Han Wu said nonchalantly. He then examined the ores and chose more than ten.

Guan Nan was so pleased that he announced that he would cover the full cost for Master Han Wu. The ores he purchased were sent to a room reserved for customers to cultivate.

Han Wu entered the room and started upgrading his first Divine Weapon, the Small Locust Blade. He let it absorb all the ores until it reached rank 100, the limit of a Common Divine Weapon.

It couldn’t absorb any more, so he decided to use one of his daily questions for the Divine Weapon Civilization. “How do I upgrade my Small Locust Blade further?”

[You can use a whetstone to upgrade it to a Faith Divine Weapon. (Today question quota: 2)]

Han Wu didn’t ask where to find one. He had a feeling that Guan Nan would know about this. He went out and asked, and as he expected Guan Nan knew where to find one.

Whetstones were common here and served as the standard method for upgrading Common Divine Weapons into Faith Divine Weapons. The auction on the plaza occasionally sold them, and by coincidence, one was available today.

Han Wu intended to upgrade his Small Locust Blade further and asked Guan Nan to attend the auction with him. Guan Nan agreed. Han Wu had saved his family and was about to deal with his enemy. He was more than willing to spend more money to help him.

Not long after they arrived, the auction started. The auction house was filled with slaves, families, and warriors, all seated and waiting eagerly for the items they hoped to obtain.

𝕗𝗿𝕖𝐞𝐰𝗲𝕓𝐧𝕠𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝐨𝚖

Han Wu and Guan Nan sat in a private booth. Han Wu looked around and saw many native warriors gathered below. He then spotted three suspicious figures dressed in robes. The trio moved differently than the others. They stood out the way huskies would if they accidentally entered a pack of wolves.

At that moment, Han Wu understood why the natives had always been able to identify him as an outsider. Like the trio below, he had been too obvious.

“It seems disguises require real skill.” He watched them with growing curiosity, wondering who they were and whether he would recognize them.