Chapter 87: The Awakening of Ancient Relics
Over a hundred people at this moment looked as though they had just returned from grave robbing.
Each one was adorned with relics—some rusted, some still caked in mud. Dust clung to their bodies, their clothes were in disarray, for they had all just fiercely vied against each other. The relics themselves were dusty, leaving everyone with soiled faces and tousled hair.
Yet, even in such a state, they each cradled their treasures, grinning foolishly with delight. Even the usually aloof Xingye’s shoulders shook with suppressed mirth, clearly overjoyed.
Lin Fan surveyed them one by one.
Xingye clutched a slender, curved dagger as if it were the greatest treasure in the world. Though its blade was streaked with dirt, it still gleamed cold and sharp. Inscribed on the blade: “Yuchang.”
The Yuchang Sword!
“A keen eye,” Lin Fan praised.
This was the famed blade of assassins, used by Zhu Zhu to slay King Liao—a legendary sword, hailed as the blade of undaunted courage! It suited Xingye, who walked the path of the assassin, perfectly.
Old Master Dao Wanqian fondled an ancient sword reverently, the hilt inscribed with the words “Zhuxian.”
The Zhuxian Sword!
Legend held it to be the celestial blade of the Daoist patriarch, Lingbao Tianzun of the Three Pure Ones—a treasure of the Daoist sect, exuding an aura of supreme Dao. Even pitted with rust, it still emanated an intimidating, chilling presence.
Beside him, Master Beimin wore a tattered, dust-covered brocade kasaya and leaned on a nine-ringed staff, a smile playing on his lips.
Gongshu Ban, at last, held the very saw once used by Lu Ban himself.
The Confucian scholar, Mr. Mobuzhi, clutched a rusty iron brush, his hands trembling with excitement. Inscribed upon it: “The Sage.”
The brush of Confucius, first among scholars—the Sage’s Brush!
The First Squad of the Godslayer Army had clearly reaped rich rewards, each obtaining the equipment of their dreams.
The other awakened too had chosen their treasures. Several brawny, muscle-bound power-types now bore ancient cauldrons on their shoulders, or wielded massive hammers once swung by Li Yuanba, or hefted the bloodstained greatswords used by Bai Qi.
For them, size was everything—they sought sheer power.
To smash was their creed.
The water-type awakeners had acquired antique cups and basins, some even dragon-washers.
Now, these water-types gathered globes of water in the dragon-washers, and with a simple stroke of the bronze ears, four jets of water shot up over a foot high, roaring like dragons.
This was ancient mastery over water, the power of water displayed in full.
“All chosen?” Lin Fan asked, surveying the ecstatic Godslayer Army.
“All chosen!”
“Commander, let’s begin!”
“I can’t wait any longer, I feel as though the Zhuxian Sword is yearning to awaken!” Excitement surged among the Godslayer Army.
Each held in their hands a treasure famed in history, at the very least a blade of renown.
Lin Fan nodded, took out his phone, and spoke softly, “Don’t test them yet, bring the items here first.”
Ten minutes later.
As anticipation mounted, hurried footsteps sounded from outside the door.
Click.
The office door swung open.
Old Chen, in a white lab coat, his expression grave, cradled the phoenix cloak—gleaming and crimson as fire—muttering as he handed it to Lin Fan. “Hurry and use it, I still need to run tests on it…”
Lin Fan, curious, asked, “What are you muttering about?”
“It’s unscientific…” Old Chen frowned deeply. “I’ve used every instrument, but I still can’t figure out how this phoenix cloak, after a thousand years, remains untouched, as if it was just made.”
“What’s more, there’s no trace of electromagnetic waves, no energy field. Yet I saw with my own eyes a phoenix emerge from the cloak, transforming into the Empress of the Tang Dynasty… But science just can’t explain it!”
Confusion clouded Old Chen’s eyes.
Lin Fan smiled and patted Chen Yan on the shoulder. “Never underestimate the wisdom of the ancients.”
“Five thousand years of civilization, and there are things born of our great nation that modern science cannot yet explain.”
“Take, for instance, the souls that have guarded our land.”
With that, Lin Fan took the phoenix cloak and slowly unfurled it.
“May the Empress of the Tang bless our nation!” Lin Fan called out loudly.
Over a hundred Godslayer Army members joined in, “May the Empress of the Tang bless our nation!”
Firelight flashed across the phoenix cloak.
A phoenix trilled softly.
Its cry echoed, piercing the heavens.
Within that cry, ancient souls slumbering for millennia began to awaken; lost relics of centuries past were about to reemerge!
A deep hum filled the air.
In that instant, every ancient artifact chosen by the Godslayer Army began to vibrate and resonate, as if on the verge of awakening!
Even the Azure Dragon Crescent Blade at Lin Fan’s waist trembled violently.
“Rise,”
A voice, spanning a thousand years, spoke from the phoenix cloak.
“You were created by this great nation.”
“Long ago, you fought for this land.”
“Now, you must fight for her once again!”
“Our nation needs you!”
The voice carried an innate majesty, its command brooking no defiance.
Streams of flowing flame burst forth, searingly hot, swirling around the ancient relics in the hands of the Godslayer Army, igniting them in a blaze.
Vermilion Bird, progenitor of myriad phoenixes, sovereign of weapons!
The flames blazed, enveloping the artifacts in scorching heat, yet not harming their wielders in the slightest.
Within the inferno, the relics trembled and hummed.
At the same time, the rust of ages began to flake away, revealing a brilliance that had traversed the centuries.
For a moment, it was as if time flowed backward—the glory of bygone days about to return!
“Comrades, fight for our nation once more!” Lin Fan declared.
And with him—
“Comrades, fight for our nation once more!”
A hundred voices roared.
Suddenly, from the blade at Lin Fan’s side came the sound of a dragon’s roar.
The Azure Dragon Crescent Blade shone like a cold moon, a dragon encircling its length.
The azure dragon awakened anew!
At the same time, in Dao Wanqian’s hands, the Zhuxian Sword erupted in a murderous aura that soared skyward, its sword energy humming and quivering.
In Mobuzhi’s grasp, the Sage’s Brush began to move without wind, trails of scholarly qi forming black script in the air—
“Our Nation!”
Boom!
Brilliant golden light burst from Master Beimin, his brocade kasaya radiating rainbow hues, a massive cloud of merit forming above him, Buddhist radiance flooding the room.
Faintly, Sanskrit chants drifted down from the heavens.
The ancient artifacts had awakened!
The power and will left within them by the sages now awakened as well.
The office blazed with treasure-light, brilliance spanning a thousand years!