Blacksmith of the Apocalypse

Seth was amused, looking at the flabbergasted Yi Mo.

“I can ask for anything?” the cultivators asked, still shocked, but also slightly suspicious. The blacksmith shrugged.

“Anything I can give freely,” he answered nonchalantly. The blacksmith had looted a whole lot of stuff, ranging from artifacts to cultivation resources from the Silk River Sect. So much in fact, that he had barely been able to sift through it for useful stuff. Most of their elders had fallen in Little Gamma, so he didn't expect much from sifting through anyway.

“I would recommend you ask for a better weapon or armor.” Considering the average quality of equipment, the blacksmith made a suggestion. Yi Mo looked at the spear leaning against the wall behind the bard. Seth squinted at him.

“Don't even dare say you have a weapon; this is crap. The requirements are way too high for the mediocre improvement,” he said, shaking his head. With a casual movement, Seth picked up the spear again.

The next moment, Yi Mo was forced to watch pale blue flames licking along the spear as the weapon turned into a puddle of molten liquid on the floor. Seth used his control of fire to make sure it didn't actually start a fire or anything.

Yi Mo, the possessor, swallowed at the sight of several hundred spirit stones going up in flame.

“Just name a weapon you want, and I can give you one far above anything you can get in this place,” the tower master offered, intending to give him a weapon from among the epic armaments meant for oath guards. He had a couple of them in Legion, meant to arm golems.

“Then... give me the one on your waist,” the cultivator answered with a witty glint in his eyes. Seth looked at the man, who seemed almost smug about his decision. The bard, on the other hand, had a hard time not laughing and suppressing his smile.

The weapon currently on his waist was the pretend weapon he had made using the soul of the moneylender. Its biggest selling point was its durability, thanks to Olympian Durability it was enchanted with.

“You don't want this one,” the blacksmith said with a wry smile. He couldn't possibly rip off the possessor this much. He wanted him to succeed after all.

“Are you going back on your words because you don't want to give it?” Yi Mo suddenly asked with unprecedented boldness. This guy had realized that Seth had no intention of killing him, so he became cocky now?

“But you can't complain if it isn't what you expect,” the blacksmith said with a chuckle. If he insisted on ignoring his goodwill, there was nothing he could do. The blacksmith took off the slender sword in its artistic sheath and placed it on the table between them.

In secret, he was glad that cultivators had a weird aversion for armor. He had forgotten to equip an impressive weapon, as he was confident he would be able to deal with a fight using his skills alone, but he wore his legendary armor set. Things could have gotten awkward if Yi Mo asked for his armor.

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Yi Mo picked up the sword, pulling it from the sheath, inspecting the edge. It was a fine blade, good-looking and well-balanced, the biggest reason the blacksmith had upgraded it to carry on his side. Unlike the average weapon he had looted from the Silk River Sect, that were forged like metal planks with sharp edges.

Of course, the blacksmith had come to understand why it was this way. In a way, it was tragic. They lacked the high-tier materials to make weapons that would withstand their martial prowess. Instead, many craftsmen just put bulk into the weapons using larger amounts of cheaper material, as cultivators didn't lack the strength to swing these sharpened steel planks.

The cultivator stepped through a couple of sword forms to test his new weapon. He seemed quite adept with the sword, despite using a spear earlier. After a minute or two, a dim light appeared on the sword. He was actually able to manifest sword energy, apparently a high-level power for cultivators.

As Seth watched, Yi Mo showed no signs of stopping. His moves actually kept becoming smoother and quicker. It took the blacksmith a moment to realize that the young master had actually entered a moment of enlightenment.

Master Mountain had mentioned this phenomenon and cautioned them not to interrupt it, unless they wanted to harm the cultivator experiencing it. With an annoyed sigh, Seth leaned against the wall and watched Yi Mo play with his new toy. He didn't want to harm him, so he had to wait.

Fortunately, it took the possessor only 30 minutes to return to reality, looking at the waiting figure with a hint of embarrassment, but also gratitude.

“Thank you for this fortuitous encounter, benefactor,” he said with a respectful bow and cupped his fist. At least this had left some impact. Maybe the sword was enough, but the blacksmith had already decided to add something more so he wouldn't feel as cheated when he realized that the sword was just sturdy.

“Here, take these too,” the blacksmith added and placed a small box on the table, containing an Oath accessory set meant for Oathguards. It held the same set enchantment as the armor, not allowing the wearer to go against members of Minas Mar.

It was a mage-oriented set that would probably raise Yi Mo's inner energy. Seth didn't know how other effects like chant reduction or magic damage would translate, but they wouldn't be negative, he hoped. The cultivator opened the box and looked at the rings and the necklace with curiosity.

“I really have better things to do than watch someone play with his sword, so I'm leaving now,” the blacksmith complained and little and equipped the Helm of Hades, instantly vanishing from Yi Mo's perception.

“Please wait, benefactor, whom do I owe this favor?” he asked respectfully. It seemed like the enlightenment from getting a good sword in his hands was enough to make him grateful.

“Remember this name, Minas Mar. When your achievements grow, look for them and show them the jewelry. Tell them you owe the Tower Master. That should be enough,” the blacksmith said, taking the helmet off for just a moment.

Then he left as quickly as possible. He had already spent here longer than planned. Having wasted almost an hour he could have spent with his wives in bed was truly regrettable, but at least he was positive that Yi Mo felt indebted to them now.

The blacksmith returned to their inn, returning to full honeymoon mode. Their remaining days in Konan were surprisingly calm. They were able to visit the restaurants, explore the rest of the bazaar, and tick off all the points on the girl's bucket list for the city without major hiccups.

They had stayed in Konan for a week, getting a feel for the general vibe of this foreign society. Confident that they wouldn't look like country bumpkins anymore, the luxurious carriage finally left the gates of the city once again, one week after they arrived in Konan.

Their destination: Doushi, a trade hub of the southern region, not far from where the Southern Blade Sect used to exist, before Faenys turned it into a wasteland.