The Ascension of Contracted Spirits

Chapter 22: Chapter 21: Soldier's Fond Spirits_1

Obliged by the generous offer, Ye Hanjun picked up the Poison Snake Sword and swung it in the air a couple of times.

Then... that was it.

The sword's curve-hook-longsword shape was quite swanky.

The weight was also tolerable, carrying it on oneself wouldn't leave one panting after a little while.

In terms of practical function, at this squeaky-clean stage, it indeed could protect one's safety and deal with special situations more calmly.

But... Ye Hanjun was not moved.

The weapon collection room displayed at least 70 weapons, given the chance to choose freely, he wouldn't make a hasty decision.

Let's look around more.

"Don't like it? How about this Electric Crossbow?"

Tu Long grabbed another intricately delicate crossbow, the size of a fist. When the crossbow string was pulled, beads of electrical arcs sputtered and darted around.

"This is made from the whiskers of an electric lion, combined with the rare metal Ink Ironstone, it took me a full fifteen days to forge."

"Its advantages, aside from being inconspicuous and easy to hide, include quick activation and astonishing shooting speed."

"Though its disadvantages are also obvious, the crossbow bolts inside are all custom-made, there are only five in total, once they're used up, that's it."

"But each bolt comes with armor-piercing tips, within a range of a hundred meters, there is a high probability of piercing through a defensively strong Clay Body Master. Then it will explode within the target, causing strong electric-shock paralysis."

"Even the wild beasts with remarkable physical bodies will suffer within range, if you can hit a vital point, you may even be able to manipulate a Clay Body Master..."

Ye Hanjun didn't touch it, instead, he took a step back. His eyes finally revealed a hint of interest.

This weapon is very suitable for sneaking attacks, with the astounding effect of being able to ambush people and beasts, carrying it around would surely double your confidence.

Of course, he hadn't hastily made a decision yet.

In his perception, the weapons here were either heavy, sharp, dark, or bright, there were still many parts yet to be investigated.

"Shh, isn't this the Dragon Bone Spear that appeared in the auction house over ten years ago? So it was collected by Master Tu..."

Sikong Wei and Da Mu'er also entered as viewers.

They did not have the right to choose a collection, but the sound of their private whispering couldn't escape the catch of the ear.

"Oh, this is a gift from an old friend who asked me for a favor."

"Even though it was used by someone and is a bit damaged."

"But the main material comes from the wing bone of a 'winged dragon' at the Jade Infant fetus level. Its sturdiness and sharpness are guaranteed, very suitable for knights, mercenaries, hunters, and other combat roles."

Tu Long's face was all smiles as he introduced each collection, his lips curved in a slight smile.

Ye Hanjun glanced at it. That Dragon Bone Spear, like the White Fang Stick, requires a strong foundation of power.

Ordinary 1st and 2nd Order Patrons, lacking the prerequisite conditions for use, might not even be able to securely hold it in hand -- a serious issue indeed.

However, he found himself wondering whether to choose a weapon for personal use or pick the most expensive one to sell for money?

"From a profit perspective, the latter is clearly more beneficial."

"But let's forget it, for those obsessed with artifacts, selling would be a last resort. Taking away Tu Long's masterwork but not using it would exhaust any goodwill..."

Ye Hanjun dismissed his moneymaking thoughts and strode leisurely, continuing to visit the remaining collection cabinets.

Slaughtering Snake Blade, Leaning Ground Sword, Pig Slaughter Stick, Red Heavenly Silk, Lady's Stick...

Within the collection room, the most valuable weapons often require a 3rd Order combat role for perfect use.

The rest, mostly suited for the 2nd Order, enhancing a Patron's offensive ability, or increasing a Patron's survival ability, are all good choices.

As a newly-promoted Patron, the scope of Ye Hanjun's selection was quite narrow. Including the Electric Crossbow, he found only three alternatives.

"Huh?"

The collection cabinet in the last row had a completely different style.

With a nostalgic look on his face, Tu Long sighed.

"These are all relics I've collected from different channels, some were even crafted by grandmasters."

"Sadly, they're all broken to pieces. Even with my skills, there's no possibility of restoring their past glory."

"In the end, they can only be displayed here, serving as objects for admiration and amusement in my free time."

Ye Hanjun nodded gently, his gaze sweeping sideways.

When he passed a certain spot, he stopped in his tracks, squinting slightly.

"Could you let me take a look at that one?"

"This dagger?"

Tu Long glanced at Ye Hanjun. Their eyebrows both raised in the middle:

"This is a relic I found in a pile of dead bodies when I was young and hunting."

"To this day, I still can't determine its material."

"The only thing that is certain is that its main feature is blood-sucking. Wounds cut by it will bleed more, and their healing speed will also slow down."

"Additionally, the more blood it absorbs, the brighter and lighter the blade becomes. The entire dagger becomes more agile and sharp...although only temporarily. It only lasts for a short period of time, but during that enhancement period, cutting open the scale armor of a Clay Body Master isn't an issue."

Ye Hanjun listened silently, a faint curiosity in his eyes.

He took the dagger from Tu Long's hand and gently rubbed it with his finger.

The dagger was about ten inches long, with a black handle and red blade, the color combination was strikingly eye-catching.

Delicate patterns of dancing dragons and serpents gave it a sense of uninhibited wildness.

As he gripped it, it fit his hand perfectly.

Swung at will, the crisp sound of cutting through the air echoed in his ear, without a hint of heaviness.

"I've had this relic for nearly a hundred years. Some other weapons of the same age have turned into mundane objects due to poor preservation."

"But it's different. Even when I try to cut it with an enhanced blade, all I leave are faint traces."

"Even after soaking it in a strongly acidic poison for a day and a night, there are no signs of dissolution."

"Its durability and sturdiness are top-notch among items of the same level."

"But oddly enough, it's damaged. There are no branded skills inside, apart from the vampiric quality that might come from the material itself, there are no other signs of divinity..."

Tu Long muttered to himself, displaying an evident curiosity with every word.

At the end of his monologue, he looked up, peered into Ye Hanjun's eyes and asked solemnly:

"Friend Han, do you know what this is?"

"If you can enlighten me, I would be immensely grateful."

Ye Hanjun shook his head silently, unable to respond immediately to Tu Long's question.

Under the focused gazes of the trio, he continued to inspect the object in his hand, continuing to observe.

There were a few grain-sized notches on the blade, apparently damaged by an even more rigid material, adding a unique charm of imperfection to its smooth lines.

But the real flaw lay in the handle.

There seemed to be a gem embedded at the top of the handle, about the size of a little finger nail.

It was broken, with cracks appearing from the center. But they didn't spread from the outside, but burst out from within, destroying the entire gem.

"I didn't expect to find another rare Fond Spirit within this small space after the Pure Beast..."

Ye Hanjun peered at it intensely. After some contemplating, he didn't conceal the truth and began to explain:

"This is not a weapon in the ordinary sense."

"To put it more precisely, it was not artificially crafted. It was birthed from the heavens and earth, born from nature."

"It is a Beast Soldier, a dead Beast Soldier!"

"The stage of its life was probably at the 'Rainbow Light Fetus' level. Judging by the long lifespan of a Beast Soldier, it was still a baby, very young, very weak."

Ye Hanjun touched the handle, his eyes seeming to travel through time, attempting to feel the life force from hundreds of years ago and said with emotion:

"I can't determine the cause of its death, but it wasn't natural."

"This broken crystal is not a gem, but its eye, and also its heart."

"This part should have been the strongest place on its body, hard to destroy even in violent collisions."

"But it shattered anyway. Either it met an opposing Fond Spirit of 'Jade Infant Fetus' level who had mastered spirit skills and was killed by soul power."

"Or it met a being at least at the life wheel level, who destroyed it with absolute violent force."

"In any case, it is thoroughly dead. What we're seeing and touching now is nothing but its corpse."

For a moment, the collection room was silent as if time had stopped moving.

Ye Hanjun could even hear the hearts of several people tremble.

"Beast Soldier? The legendary Beast Soldier?"

Da Mu'er, unable to suppress his excitement, drew nearer with care, his eyes practically fixed to the dagger:

"Legend has it that Beast Soldiers are innate weapons born from heaven and earth, conceived with the essence of the sun and moon, refined with the essence of void, forming after gathering various elements."

"Alive Beast Soldiers are already rare to see, yet a dead Beast Soldier has been lying in Master Tu's collection room for nearly a hundred years?"

"Let me see!" Sikong Wei's face turned red with excitement, his neck veins bulging as he leaned in for a closer look.

As he watched intensively, his expression became dazed and unreal, muttering to himself:

"Compared to the easily found 'Savage', 'Demon', 'Insect', 'Sub', 'Underworld'... A Fond Spirit with a 'Soldier' Chaos Seal is unimaginably rare."

"Creatures like this, reportedly, take the form of all kinds of weapons, swords, spears, axes, halberds, maces, hooks, forks, whips, clubs, hammers, sticks, rods... You name it."

"They are born with spirits, akin to the concept of 'weapon spirits', and they can operate independently. With the support of a high enough level, they possess an immense power to fly through the sky and escape underground, as well as to collapse mountains and shatter rocks, hiding unfathomable power in their small bodies, which makes people yearn for and fascinated."

"Yes, many ancient records mentioned that Beast Soldiers have a high compatibility with many authority roles. The one who obtains it, even if isn't controlling the world, can rule over an area."

Da Mu'er looked forward to it without limit, his expression blurred as he said:

"For example, a Beast Soldier in the form of a long spear, if matched with a 'Knight', it would be outstanding and magnificent. It could shatter the sky with a laugh."

"For instance, a Beast Soldier existing in the shape of a magic wand, if given to me, a 'Magic Apprentice', or matched with a 'Priest' or 'Necromancer'... their abilities would definitely skyrocket."

"Once reaching the 4th order and obtaining the second contract, the combined power of a person with two beasts would be terrifying to behold..."