Seeing Liu Qingyan’s leather pouch, Ao Yi could not help shaking her head. Ao Jin also said, “This pouch does not suit Miss Liu at all.”
Liu Qingyan explained, “But it is quite convenient to use.”
Ao Jin shook his head. He was about to reach out, but looked at Lu Zheng. “Little Lu, you can refine storage artefacts now, right?”
“Yes.”
So Ao Jin reached out and grasped a half-chi-sized piece of white jade from a nearby wooden shelf.
Handing the jade to Lu Zheng, Ao Jin remarked casually, “The dragon palace does not lack storage artefacts, but they may not suit your tastes.
Since Little Lu can refine them now, make a few in styles you like. They can hold items and serve as ornaments too.”
Lu Zheng exclaimed in surprise, “So large?”
“Is there not also Madam Shen?” Ao Jin smiled, then winked at Lu Zheng and raised an eyebrow. “Any other ladies?”
Lu Zheng, “…”
Lu Zheng declined to answer.
“Hahaha!”
Ao Jin laughed heartily, then led the group onward.
Along the way, Ao Jin noticed Lu Zheng showed curiosity toward every item but expressed no particular interest in any.
“Little Lu, why? You have no great interest in these things?”
“They are all fine.” Lu Zheng shook his head, then nodded. “But I have plenty of artefacts now, all suitable. I truly lack nothing urgent.”
With Gu Changtian’s legacy, Lu Zheng had a dharma sword for White Cloud sword arts and a banner for cloud techniques. Plus the artefacts he had taken materials for from White Cloud Temple but not yet refined, he had three from the temple, all of good quality.
Additionally, the lightning-struck peach wood sword for thunder arts, the Silver Feather Blue霞 sword for swordplay.
He had suitable artefacts for attack and defence that amplified spell power. Other techniques he used less, so Lu Zheng truly had no pressing needs.
“No desire makes one strong. Excellent mindset!” Ao Jin’s eyes brightened as he praised.
Though Lu Zheng’s cultivation was high, he could not fully conceal his emotions before Ao Jin. So Ao Jin knew that facing this secret vault’s treasures, Lu Zheng genuinely felt little excitement or greed.
…
Yet this room full of treasures was not, as Lu Zheng said, mostly useless to him.
Ao Jin knew Lu Zheng practised water arts, and in this secret vault was an ancient mysterious turtle’s pearl. Though without attached techniques, it equally boosted water arts.
There was also an undulating flying sword flickering with cold light, its quality far surpassing the Silver Feather Blue霞 sword. If Lu Zheng took it, he would never need another flying sword in his life.
There was a palm-sized wooden token flashing thunder light, clearly a Daoist item, perfect for studying and amplifying thunder arts.
There were also items good for cultivating dragon clan secret arts, enhancing his True Dragon Grand Hand Seal.
This was without Ao Jin knowing Lu Zheng also cultivated spiritual secret arts, wind arts, and the Chi Songzi inheritance. The vault naturally had suitable items for those too.
…
So in Ao Jin’s view, Lu Zheng showing no inclination toward so many fine items truly reflected an excellent mindset.
But Lu Zheng?
“Tch. Not one compares to the jade seal. Dragon King secret vault? Just so-so.”
With the jade seal as his foundation and his inherently contented nature, Lu Zheng was interested in these items but truly harboured no great greed.
Thus…
It was Ao Jin’s turn to worry. “A whole vault of secrets, yet none catches his eye. This debt of gratitude is hard to repay.”
“Little Lu, is there truly nothing you need?” Ao Jin could not help asking, meaning: just pick anything, give me face.
Lu Zheng blinked, thought, and said, “There actually is!”
“What?”
Lu Zheng recalled he still lacked a strong, direct weapon!
Nowadays, alloy weapons were unusable. Gu Changtian’s dharma sword was fine, but White Cloud sword arts were not for head-on clashes.
His debut battle had been with a blade!
Now…
Though Lu Zheng had many offensive means and varied escape methods.
He might not use it, but he could not lack a strong, direct weapon.
So…
Lu Zheng asked, “Does the secret vault have any sabres?”
“Sabres?”
Lu Zheng patted his gourd, drawing an embroidered spring sabre. “When I first studied arts, I actually cultivated martial paths. Though I now have True Dragon Grand Hand Seal, I lack a suitable weapon. Today, fortunate to be here, I seek one.”
Ao Jin’s eyes lit up. “Good choice! A fine weapon is far more useful than those dharma treasures!”
“How could my dragon palace secret vault lack a sabre?” Ao Jin led Lu Zheng to a corner of the vault.
“Come, come. This is the armament section. Sabres, spears, swords, halberds, axes, hooks, forks, whips, maces, hammers, crutches, lances, staffs, clubs. All here. And where there are weapons, there must be armour. Pick a set too.”
“No need, no need. Just a sabre is enough!”
“Pick when told to pick. Going out with just a bare sabre held in hand? What would that look like?”
“Hey!”
Lu Zheng had not expected that asking for a sabre would come with a bonus armour set.
Turning a corner, Lu Zheng was dazzled by myriad lights.
At the same time, it felt like passing through a barrier into the domain of weapons. Various sharp auras overflowed, making his hairs stand on end, crisis sense exploding.
“Fine weapons!”
In view were a dozen rows of weapon racks, each holding or leaning a dozen weapons.
Every weapon emitted its own light, reflecting one another.
Every weapon exuded fierce qi, as if ready to devour the unworthy.
Nearby were over a hundred humanoid wooden stands, clad in various armours.
Heavy armour, light armour, thin armour.
Gold armour, jade armour, leather armour.
Fish-scale armour, chain armour, willow-leaf armour.
Each suit was unique, crafted from spiritual materials.
Lu Zheng nodded. Finally, he felt tempted.
As a fine Chinese man, besides the wuxia dream of wandering jianghu with a sword, there was naturally the battlefield general dream: “Through a hundred battles in yellow sands, clad in golden armour, vow not to return until Loulan falls!”
With such a suit of armour, Lu Zheng even wanted to cross into Journey to the West and spar with Sun Wukong.
Seeing Lu Zheng’s reaction, Ao Jin laughed even more heartily, waving his hand. “Pick freely!”
Lu Zheng did not stand on ceremony. He approached the weapons and armours, carefully selecting with heart, mind, and intent.
Under Ao Jin’s satisfied gaze, Lu Zheng finally chose a sabre and a suit of armour.
True Dragon Coiled Head Sabre!
Five-Coloured Dragon Scale Armour!
