New Weapon

The train's announcement echoed through the air as they reached Eastsea Station. Leng Yaozhu escorted them to the entrance of Eastsea Academy, imparting a brief explanation before taking his leave.

In the quiet days preceding the official start of the academy year, the academy stood empty, with only occasional glimpses of staff members bustling about.

Returning to the dormitory, Anping, after a brief rest, delved into the alchemy laboratory with a determined purpose—to forge a weapon from the soul bone acquired from the Ascension Platform.

Undeterred in his pursuit of alchemical knowledge, Anping deepened his understanding of various material properties. The soul bone of the Dark Gold Fearclaw Bear, dissected through meticulous analysis, revealed sharp characteristics with limited growth potential—a perfect candidate for crafting weapons.

Materials scattered across the experimental table, Anping meticulously compared each one. Though Mithril stood out as a favored choice among alchemists for its exceptional tolerance, the scarcity of remaining Mithril led Anping to select cold iron as the primary material, complemented by Mithril in a supporting role.

The so-called magic furnace, devoid of any actual fire, employed intricate magic pattern arrays to amplify magical power and transform materials without altering their inherent properties.

As magical power flowed through Anping's hands into the furnace, the magic patterns illuminated sequentially, casting a faint red glow. The palm-shaped soul bone gradually liquefied, transforming into a dark golden liquid floating within the furnace. Anping deftly transferred it to a specialized storage item after retrieval with his magic-enhanced hand.

Following a meditation session to replenish expended magical power, Anping processed the heavy silver and Mithril accordingly. Utilizing the plastic energy technique, he merged the two materials, resulting in a dark silver liquid and a bright silver liquid converging into a shimmering amalgamation.

Dividing the concoction into two portions, Anping shaped two dark silver long swords through meticulous technique. Infusing them with magic power, he placed the finished blades on the test stand.

Moving methodically, Anping mixed magic pattern ink and, with precision, dropped the blue semi-finished liquid into the container housing the soul bone liquid. Drop by drop, the dark golden hue of the soul bone liquid transformed into a purified, bright gold. The last drop of blue liquid solidified the transformation.

Satisfied with the flawless process, Anping took up the magic pattern pen and infused it with magical power. Dipping it into the bright golden liquid, the quill absorbed the essence, emitting a radiant golden glow.

Anping, guided by a well-practiced formula, bent over the long sword with focused intent. Delicate carvings emerged on the blade, forming strange runes one after another. His strokes, a meticulous dance of precision, coalesced into bright golden runes as the final touch. The weapon glowed with a brilliant golden light before seamlessly melding into the sword, vanishing from sight.

A repetition of the intricate process adorned the second long sword. Despite their identical appearance, subtle differences in their effects emerged upon testing. The innate sharpness of the soul bone remained intact. Anping, employing a magic pattern array named the psionic movement, imbued the swords with the power to dismantle and purify the soul and energy structure. The nuanced distinction between the two swords lay in their bias—the first leaning more towards destruction, and the second favoring purification.

Satisfied with the outcome, Anping bestowed the names Soul Destruction and Soul Purification upon the swords. Etching the names onto the hilts using the magic pattern pen, he stowed them away before reappearing in the dormitory.

Gu Yuena sensed Anping's return and materialized in her dormitory with a swift, silver luminescence. "What have you been up to? The opening ceremony is tomorrow. Teacher Wu visited today, but there was no response when he knocked. I told him you might be out."

Anping, realizing the passage of time, remarked, "Has it been that long? Didn't I acquire a soul bone? I fashioned it into two weapons these past few days."

"Weapons?" Gu Yuena's curiosity sparked. "Can I see them?"

Anping nodded, "Certainly. Remember our agreement? If I managed to make more, one would be yours. I just crafted two."

Displaying the pair of long swords on the desk, Anping invited Gu Yuena to choose between Nuo and Jingling.

Observing the nearly indistinguishable silver-glowing blades, Gu Yuena pondered, "They look identical. How does one choose?"

Anping shook his head and proceeded to elucidate the unique traits of each sword to Gu Yuena.

Surprised, Gu Yuena remarked, "Destruction and purification of souls? The names suit them well."

Anping clarified, "The names are symbolic. Bias doesn't imply exclusive traits but rather a strength in one aspect over the other."

Taking up Soul Purification, Gu Yuena playfully waved it, prompting Anping to retreat a couple of steps. While she refrained from fully activating the magic array with injected energy, Anping remained cautious. A minor slip could still inflict damage on the soul through the wounds.

Teasingly, Gu Yuena inquired, "Is it truly that frightening?"

Anping, with a mix of irritation and amusement, retorted, "While the soul damage is limited without energy infusion, it still requires a significant recovery period."

Gu Yuena questioned, "Is it genuinely so intimidating? Why create such a weapon? Do you have formidable adversaries concerning the soul?"

Anping shook his head, "I have no enemies. Lately, I've been studying at the Spirit Pagoda, gaining insights and experimenting."

Gu Yuena nodded thoughtfully, "I see."

"Yeah," Anping nodded in agreement.

Gu Yuena stowed away the Soul Purification Sword, expressing her satisfaction, "Great choice. I really like this sword. Let's go. As a token of gratitude, dinner is on me tonight."

Exiting the dormitory together, they encountered Xie Xie knocking on Tang Wulin's door. Xie Xie playfully chided, "Wulin, still not back? Always starting but never finishing, as usual."

The door adjacent to Tang Wulin's room creaked open. Xu Xiaoyan, a charming girl, peeked out and scanned the corridor. Recognizing Anping and Gu Yuena, she recalled the Soul Ascension Platform incident where the two had played a significant role during the chaos.

Surprised, Xu Xiaoyan exclaimed, "It's you!"

Turning around, Xie Xie faced her and joked, "Hey, aren't you the little girl from that day? What brings you here?"

Xu Xiaoyan retorted, "Why can't I be here? Are you the only students in Class Zero?"

Affirming her curiosity, Xie Xie nodded, "Indeed, any issue with that?"

"I'll be a student in Class Zero too. Nice to meet you all. I'm Xu Xiaoyan," she introduced herself calmly and graciously.

"Anping."

"Gu Yuena."

"Xie Xie."

Perplexed, Xu Xiaoyan questioned, "Thank you for what?"

Xie Xie explained, "My name is Xie Xie, and 'Xie' comes second after 'Xie.'"

"Ah, I see. Your name is quite interesting," Xu Xiaoyan responded with a hint of embarrassment.

Remembering his original quest, Xie Xie inquired, "Anping, Gu Yuena, have you seen Wu Lin?"

Both shook their heads, confirming they hadn't encountered Tang Wulin. Xie Xie lamented, "This guy has been elusive all day. Academy officially starts tomorrow, and I still have no clue where he is."

Observing Anping and Gu Yuena, Xu Xiaoyan joyfully exclaimed, "You two are amazing. I didn't expect you to be Class Zero students. My brother has been talking about the incident on the Spirit Ascension Platform at home all day because of you."

Anping reassured, "No worries. You're doing better than us. And congratulations on joining Class Zero."

"Congratulations! We're heading for dinner. Would you like to join us?" Gu Yuena found Xu Xiaoyan charming and warmly extended the invitation.

Excitedly nodding, Xu Xiaoyan exclaimed, "Absolutely, I'd love to."

"I'm in too," declared Xie Xie, raising his hand confidently.

Gu Yuena, with a calm demeanor, added, "Sure, but if you're coming, be prepared to foot the bill."

Confidently, Xie Xie responded, "I'll handle it. I can afford this. Besides, the three of you combined may not eat as much as Wulin alone."

Settling on barbecue for their meal, the quartet indulged in a lively dinner.

Between bites, Xie Xie curiously turned to Xu Xiaoyan, asking, "It's the second semester already. How did you manage to join Class Zero? Didn't Teacher Wu inform you in advance?"

"Entered through the back door, how else?" Xu Xiaoyan replied matter-of-factly.

Disbelieving, Xie Xie raised an eyebrow, "Teacher Wu allowing a backdoor entry? That doesn't sound like him."

With an expression that seemed to say, "Believe it or not," Xu Xiaoyan replied, "Well, that's how I got in. If you don't believe it, not much I can do."

Curious, Xie Xie probed further, "What level are you at?"

"Level seventeen, why do you ask?" Xu Xiaoyan appeared a bit puzzled by the sudden interest in her level.

"You don't seem particularly strong. Are you sure about the backdoor entry?" Xie Xie scrutinized her, as if trying to discern any special qualities.

"Absolutely. By the way, what levels are the rest of you at?" Xu Xiaoyan was intrigued by the soul power levels of the group, especially Anping and Gu Yuena.

Proudly, Xie Xie proclaimed, "I'm level 23, pretty impressive."

"I'm level 27, and he's at level 29," Gu Yuena answered on Anping's behalf while he continued enjoying his meal. Anping, with a nod, acknowledged the confirmation.

Eyes sparkling, Xu Xiaoyan remarked, "Twenty-seven? Twenty-nine? That's incredible."

"I never thought you're not far from the third ring. I can't keep up with this cultivation speed," Xie Xie grumbled with a hint of jealousy.

Observing Xie Xie, Xu Xiaoyan questioned, "You were looking for someone named Tang Wulin. Is he also from Class Zero?"

Affirmative, Xie Xie nodded, "Yes, not only is he from Class Zero, but he's also our captain."

Intrigued, Xu Xiaoyan inquired, "Captain? Does he already have three rings?"

Xie Xie clarified, "No, like you, he only has one ring."

Pondering this, Xu Xiaoyan asked, "Can someone with only one ring be a captain? Is there more to it?" She directed her gaze toward Anping and Gu Yuena as she spoke.

Xie Xie admitted, "I'm not entirely sure. It's a decision made by Teacher Wu."

After the barbecue, they returned to rest, mindful that the school term was about to begin. They wanted to ensure they weren't late on the first day.

The following day, the opening ceremony unfolded as scheduled. Accompanied by Wu Zhangkong, the four stood at the forefront of the first grade. Tang Wulin, however, arrived tardily.

In a hushed tone, Xie Xie questioned, "Why are you so late? You weren't in the dormitory when I asked you yesterday."

Tang Wulin explained, "I got carried away in my practice."

Wu Zhangkong glanced at them, prompting them to stand up without further discussion.

As it was the second semester with no new freshmen, the college dean spoke briefly before class teachers led the students back to their respective classes.

Class Zero, including the new addition Xu Xiaoyan, followed Wu Zhangkong back to the classroom. Surveying the occupants, Wu Zhangkong instructed, "Introduce yourself."

Standing up, Xu Xiaoyan greeted, "Hello everyone, I'm Xu Xiaoyan. I'm ten years old. My martial soul is the Starwheel Ice Staff, and my soul power is at level seventeen."

Wu Zhangkong acknowledged, "In the next month, you'll need to prove you're strong enough to be in Class Zero."

"I will," Xu Xiaoyan affirmed.

After nodding, Wu Zhangkong continued, "After a month-long break, I hope you've relaxed. I'll give you half an hour to adjust, then we'll assess your physical condition to plan the next training phase."

Half an hour later, Wu Zhangkong led them to the location for the physical test.

Strength tests revealed Tang Wulin maintaining his top position. Xie Xie excelled in mental strength, earning fifty-nine points, showcasing notable progress.

Xu Xiaoyan, with a score of sixty-one, While not a prodigy among her peers, she held a respectable standing.