"Fuuh!" Duan Li exhaled a mouthful of air as he finished the last weapon. All in all, he had managed to upgrade 14 weapons to the ultimate grade, including the katana.
Pah!
He tossed the final completed weapon, which was a saber, into the lake with the rest of the other weapon for quenching.
During the process, he found out that trying to alternate between his left and right hand was not possible while hammering down those weapons. There was a mysterious force preventing him from doing so.
Therefore he could only do it alternatingly after each weapon was completed.
As a result, he was able to forge 14 weapons in total!
Although he was now fatigued, if he pushed himself, forging 20 ultimate graded weapons should be doable in the future!
"Oh? You guys are back." Duan Li finally noticed the rest of his followers as he sat down on a boulder. At this time, his topless body was full of sweat and his body temperature was quite high to the point that vapors were radiating off his body, making him look quite dashing!
Xu Rong blushed when she saw this. As for Xiahou Yu, she only seemed to give Duan Li a single glance before her attention turned towards the pile of weapons laying inside the lake.
A hint of astonishment could be seen on her usually poker face expression.
"Those weapons.." she exclaimed in surprise.
"Hmm?" the rest of them that just came turned towards the same direction as Xiahou Yu.
"This..!!"
While Duan Li's followers each has their own personality, and would sometimes look dumb, they were no fools. A single glance on those 14 weapons slapped their brain so hard that they thought they were dreaming!
"U-Ultimate graded weapons..." Wei Shang was the first one to utter a sentence to break their stupor.
"Impossible!!" Fei Longwei narrowed his eyes grimly as he clenched his fists tight.
If we remember correctly, that saber over there that he just threw into the lake was the one that he just forged..
And its an ultimate graded weapon too...
Don't tell me..
He forged all these ultimate graded weapons?!
With the exception of the defeated Shen Murong and Wang Dong whose face were like ghouls, everyone's mouth was wide agape and their eyes widened in disbelief.
Ultimate graded weapons, like their title, were only things that existed in the legends. It would take someone extremely lucky from the result of accumulating good deeds in their previous lifetime for such a chance to happen.
But what is this?
Why do we see 14 ultimate graded weapons laying inside the lake as if they were some useless trash?
Aren't they supposed to be placed on top of some holy pedestal where only the worthy could pull them out?
Where was the promised adventure and trials to obtain them?
Where was the sense of achievement and emotional breakdown when one finally managed to lay their eyes on them?!
"D-Did you... made all these?" Fei Longwei asked with a bit of stutter in his voice, unbecoming of him who was usually aloof and uncaring for the world.
Duan Li shook his head, "I only upgraded these antique weapons. Its nothing too impressive to be honest." he replied casually.
Pu!
Fei Longwei felt stifled in his chest and had trouble breathing.
You managed to defeat everyone here by yourself and made us your followers? Fine, perhaps it was destined.
You were able to blow away thousands of monsters from the monster stampede with a single punch? Fine, perhaps you are too strong to be compared with the normal standards.
You were able to become the Imperial Overseer? Extremely difficult, but not entirely impossible after everything you've done.
However..
You upgrading antique weapons to ultimate graded weapons and you call that 'nothing too impressive'?
Pui!
You are taking this matter too lightly!
Brother, perhaps you didn't know yet, but even our Emperor, Jiu Xian Ping does not have a single ultimate graded weapon in his possession yet, and this was despite him having the resources of an entire empire to his disposal!
To my best knowledge, the Emperor only has two Legendary graded weapon, one for him and another for the Queen Dowager!
Legendary graded weapons are also extremely rare. Not only that the weapon must be forged from the most rarest mineral in the Tian continent, but it has to be infused with spiritual Qi all the time for several decades!
Only after several generations would they be completed and has to go through the unique baptism of nature in the final stage to receive their blessings and become a legendary graded weapon!
It was said that, whenever a legendary weapon was drawn out from their scabbard, the sun and the moon would lose their shine and the stars to dim!
They were used as strategic level weapon and was able buff out allies and debuff the enemies in a large battlefield!
As for ultimate graded weapons, their capabilities went far beyond that, such that they were entirely immune to elemental attacks!
In fact, since it was extremely rare to find out someone that possesses an ultimate graded weapon, not a lot was able to be documented in the history books. As a result, no one was absolutely sure how powerful an ultimate graded weapons could be.
"Wait.. something is wrong! If these are really ultimate graded weapons, then... Why can't I detect any spirit within each of them?" Wei Shang suddenly said as his face showing an agitated look.
An ultimate graded weapon, according to the legends, was an evolution beyond the legendary grade that has already possessed its own spirit. After all, how could a weapon possibly be able to pick out who its allies and enemies were to buff and debuff if it does not possess a sentience?
The only problem with this was that, a sentient weapon will develop their own eccentric personality and thus couldn't easily be tamed. This was also the reason why its extremely difficult to own a legendary graded weapon and above even if one stumbled upon them. If they do not deem the person worthy, there will be no way a person will be able to wield them!
Therefore, since the ultimate graded weapons in front of them were devoid of spirit and sentience, what does this means?
This means that, practically anyone could make those weapon theirs!
Although it would not have the ability to extend its power beyond the user, just its capabilities of enhancing the individual user alone would be more than enough!
"Hold it right there." Duan Li suddenly said with a strict voice. Judging from their flushed expression, he knew what they were about to do.
With several ultimate graded weapons laying in front of them just like that, he didn't blame them for becoming tempted.
"There is no need to go crazy over mere weapons. I made them specifically for everyone here. So line up!"
Right after he said these, his followers swerved their heads to look at him with shock before immediately forming a neat line in less than a single breath.
Duan Li had never seen his followers this shameless before, not even Xiahou Yu dared to eat her favorite fried chickens now!
Good! Good!
Duan Li nodded his head in satisfaction as he went over the lake to pick up the weapons and stabbed each of them on the ground before looking at everyone.
"First, Xiahou Yu! As you are my first friend that I made, I will give you these dual rapiers!"
A wide smile could be seen on Xiahou Yu's face that was almost far too rare to see. It felt like even the moon started to shy away from the beauty of her smile. Stepping forward, she received the pale blue dual rapiers from Duan Li's hands.
"Thank you.." she expressed her thanks as she stared at Duan Li right into his eyes.
"En!" Duan Li nodded and he could feel the sincerity behind her words. "Next, since Shen Lu and Wang Xiolun is not here currently, Shen Murong!"
Duan Li handed a pair of metallic red gauntlet that covers the hand up to the elbow, with a sharp protruding blade on its edges.
"For someone like you who prefers hand to hand fighting, this one is far more suitable to you than the katana before." Duan Li remarked.
"... Thanks." Shen Murong replied and took the pair of gauntlet away before stowing them inside his spatial ring.
You don't need to try and hide yourself, I can perfectly see how embarrassed you are..
Duan Li shook his head with a chuckle before continuing, "Fei Longwei! I give you this saber in line with your swift and decisive attack strategy!"
Fei Longwei expressed his gratitude upon receiving the violet saber. He felt the resonance with his Dark Arts that he was practicing as soon as he touched it and immediately became surprised.
It appears that Duan Li gave him this violet saber specifically because of his Dark Arts..
"Wei Shang and Wei Wang! Receive these pair of short swords! They will increase your speed exponentially when wielding them! It will be best that you both practiced using them first later on." Duan Li instructed as he gave them 4 short swords that were black in color.
Wei Shang took a pair and gave the other pair to his little brother, Wei Wang. "Your words is our command my Lord!" Wei Shang kneeled on the ground for a moment before retreating back to the rest.
"Xu Rong! While you are a spellcaster, I felt like this Shieldstaff would help you the most." Duan Li said as he pulled out the medium sized shield hybrid with a staff on its center from the ground and gave it to Xu Rong.
"This shield has two purpose, one is creating absolute defense field and augmenting spells. It would take quite a toll on you, but it should be doable." Duan Li explained.
"En! Thank you my Lord!" Xu Rong's face became increasingly red when she received the shieldstaff from Duan Li as her eyes could not help but wander a bit on Duan Li's topless body.
"I'll give the rest their own weapon next time." Duan Li said, referring to the currently absent Shen Lu, Wang Xiolun and Guo He.
He then continued, "Finally... Di Rou!"
Wuishh!!
Duan Li's shadow wriggled for a moment before elongating in front of him. Within it, Di Rou suddenly emerged out while single kneeling.
"I'm here, Imperial Overseer." Di Rou said, her long black ponytail danced by the wind, making her look graceful even with her simple black clothing and mask covering half of her lower face.
"I give to you, the most powerful ultimate graded weapon I forged. The Evisceral Katana!" Duan Li said grimly.
When he first successfully upgraded the katana, the description that he got from his analyze ability made even he himself scared.
[Evisceral katana, three injuries made by this katana will immediately disembowel the enemy.]
"Di Rou, this lowly one, expressed her utmost gratitude for Lord Imperial Overseer's kindness!" Di Rou accepted the Katana with trembled hands.
Never before in her life had she ever dreamed of being able to obtain an ultimate graded weapon, much less in such a fashion!
Before, she already made a pledge to herself to serve Duan Li whole-heartedly, but now, she will never doubt or question Duan Li's action or instruction in the future!
"En!" Duan Li nodded in satisfaction before he turned his sights on everyone else, his hands now clasped behind his back.
"With the ultimate graded weapons I bestowed onto everyone here, I only have one condition that you must fulfill!" he spoke with a grim voice which made everyone tense.
Gulp!
"Use them only when absolutely necessary! Showing them off is forbidden! And when the time comes that you are forced to draw them out, you must make sure that your enemy in the end.. die!"
...
I just woke up from my deep sleep after my surgery lol. Sorry for being late.. Enjoy and thanks for reading! ;)