High School Student with Immortal Race System

Yang Shen followed Sheng Qin all the way back to Qiangwu Tower. This time, he discovered that a separate area around a corner on the first floor housed the elevator to the Armory.

However, Sheng Qin first went to an office to handle the paperwork. After a short while, she obtained a temporary elevator card and then took Yang Shen inside.

The elevator was unremarkable, even a bit old, and made a lot of noise.

"Sheng, there are twelve floors underground. What are they all for?"

He only knew that the first and second basement floors were for regular offices.

Sheng Qin explained, "The first and second floors are offices. The third through fifth floors are cultivation areas, for those who need special equipment or environments. You should have heard about this part."

"Simulated underwater environments, gale-force wind environments, high-temperature environments... Some special Cultivation Techniques require them. This part doesn’t need extra permission; you just go if you have a class scheduled there. It’s just that you’re only a freshman, so you haven’t been scheduled for them yet."

Yang Shen’s cultivation level had long since surpassed that of a typical freshman, and his more advanced training was handled by the "Breaking Realm Special Instruction," so he had never had a need for these facilities.

"Actually, the equipment here is a bit outdated. It’s just that some things were built to be ’specific’ from the start. For example, renovating things like the swimming pools is a huge hassle, so they’ve just kept using them."

"As for the others... the 7th floor is the ’Valuables Room’—as in, valuable items. The 11th floor is the academy’s Cultivation Technique library. Even in the information age, we still need physical preservation methods. And the 12th floor is the Armory. I’m not sure about the rest."

Yang Shen said, "They all sound very mysterious."

Sheng Qin smiled. "They’re not that mysterious. In ancient times, some of the great Sects also had underground secret chambers, but they were really just warehouses. Building them underground was simply a security measure, to keep too many unauthorized people from passing by every day."

The elevator went straight to the 12th basement floor. When the doors opened, the area outside indeed had a very dated look. Green, water-based paint divided the white walls into upper and lower halves, the surface of which was even a bit faded. The lights overhead were also of an old-fashioned style, cupped downwards like little umbrellas.

Yang Shen had thought this place would be guarded by some reclusive, hidden master in meditation. Instead, at the end of a long corridor was an office with eight or nine people sitting inside. After hearing their reason for being there, one of them said directly:

"Have you registered in the system?"

"We have. The paperwork is all in order."

"Then sign here, leave your phone and all electronic devices, and you can go in after passing through the security check."

’The strict rules of modern society have a way of shattering all mystical fantasies...’

’It made sense, when he thought about it. Why would Jiangti need to station a top expert here to waste his life away guarding a door?’

’That’s just a trope designed for dramatic effect in TV shows. A top expert, instead of holding a high position, passing on his teachings, or conquering new lands, just camps out full-time at the entrance of a treasure vault...’

’No status, no life.’

’Preventing theft relies more on procedures and rules. As for preventing robbery...’

’If someone could actually overwhelm the innumerable experts at Jiangti—all the Tongshu, Jade Viscera, and True Gang masters—and successfully rob the place...’

’...you might as well just let them have it. Just consider it theirs to begin with.’

After finishing the procedures, Sheng Qin also stayed behind. Another staff member led Yang Shen inside, opening three thick iron doors in a row and entering a huge, pitch-black space.

As the manager flipped a switch, the incandescent lights overhead flickered on with a series of loud THUMPS, illuminating the area row by row and revealing the Armory’s true form.

In the vast space of several thousand square meters, hundreds of black shelves several meters high stood in neat, dense rows.

It looked a bit like a warehouse-style supermarket.

The manager clearly recognized the "Flame Fist," who was currently the talk of the town. He smiled and said, "You’re a spear user, right? Follow me. Most of the long spears are over there."

Yang Shen hadn’t yet noticed anything out of the ordinary. "I’d like to look around at everything," he said, full of curiosity. "It’s my first time here."

"No problem. There’s no time limit. But you can’t take anything with a red tag. White, green, and blue are all fine, but you can only take one item."

Yang Shen followed the manager through the aisles created by the black shelving units. A single side of one unit held dozens of weapons in all shapes and sizes.

Ancient-looking longswords, plain long staves, metal boots... all were preserved in glass cases.

Many could be considered antiques. Even Divine Weapons are eroded by time, so humidity and temperature control were essential for their preservation—which was one of the reasons the Armory was located underground.

Yang Shen even saw several sets of European full-body runic armor. On the open market, they would be worth tens of millions, at least. But in the Armory, they only had green tags.

’Just as I thought. Of all the rewards Jiangti gives, the 400,000 scholarship is the least valuable part.’

’If it weren’t for the fact that Yanhua Martial Arts and European full-body armor were fundamentally incompatible, he would have been tempted.’

’After all, it’s valuable, isn’t it?’

As for red tags, he hadn’t seen a single one so far. They were probably gathered in a separate area.

Finally, they reached a section where dozens of long weapons were displayed vertically...

Wooden-shafted ones, metal-shafted ones, and even variant serpentine ones and ones with crescent blades.

It was practically a long weapon expo.

"Although affinity is the most important factor when choosing a weapon, the tag color generally indicates its rarity. You can use that as a reference."

Yang Shen pondered for a moment. "What’s special about them? I mean, compared to ordinary weapons."

"Setting aside any historical significance or value added by famous users, they all have to have some unique characteristics to be included here. Take this one, for example."

The manager pointed to a spear made entirely of wood; even its tip was wooden. Its surface bore faint, vine-like markings.

Although the material looked extremely hard, the design was still quite unconventional.

"This one was made from a type of High Source Arbor tree that is now extinct. It’s probably about four hundred years old. Although it’s not good for head-on clashes, its internal grain has a strengthening effect on Martial Arts and Source Power."

"If the same Martial Artist were to use it to execute the same technique, they would be thirty percent more powerful than with an ordinary weapon. That’s a massive boost."

He then pointed to another weapon, which resembled a serpent-headed spear and was placed in this section for being a long weapon.

"This one has been infected by a predecessor’s Martial Dao Will. After injecting it with Source Power, it produces its own ’Sword Aura,’ similar to the ’Hidden Blade’ martial art or the ’European Sword Aura.’"

"For students from Qiangwu Academy, the effect is mediocre. However, for students from the Medical School or the Martial Arts Theory School who aren’t skilled in combat, it allows them to manifest the Gang Qi Transformation effect out of thin air."

"Every weapon has its own characteristics. The one that suits you is the best one."

Yang Shen nodded in agreement.

However, as he looked at one of them and examined it briefly, he was surprised to find it a bit familiar.

It was a Three-Pointed Double-Edged Blade. Its shaft was ornate and heavy, while the blade itself was as thin as a cicada’s wing.

The reason Yang Shen stopped was that the material of the blade’s tip looked familiar. Its surface had naturally formed metallic patterns that resembled fine ripples as they refracted the light...

’This... it seems to be the same material as the "Tiechui" I obtained on the Dongying Remnant Island!’

𝒇𝒓𝙚𝒆𝔀𝓮𝓫𝒏𝓸𝙫𝓮𝓵.𝓬𝙤𝙢

Looking down, he saw it was the only red-tagged item in the area. The tag read: [Giant Spirit].

"Sir, what’s the deal with this [Giant Spirit]?"

The manager said, "Ah, that one’s amazing. It’s the only red-tagged weapon in this section. Its metal contains a type of Source Force Field. When you inject it with Source Power, it automatically generates ’Golden Gang Condensation’ and creates a giant-sizing effect."

He made a gesture for "large." "I’m talking over ten meters large. To this day, no one has figured out where this metal comes from. It spent more than a decade at a research institute, but they couldn’t replicate it. It was returned here a couple of years ago."

"Perhaps because there wasn’t enough of that special metal, it was forged into this ’thin as a cicada’s wing’ shape back in the day. It can’t be used for head-on clashes, but its actual killing power is terrifying."

An inscrutable look appeared in Yang Shen’s eyes...

’This [Giant Spirit]... the blade tip looks like it’s only about a pound of iron, hammered into a thin sheet...’

’And my Tiechui... it weighs at least seven or eight pounds!’

"Where does this metal come from? Does it have a name?"

"We don’t know where it came from. You’d have to ask some Martial Arts master from 800 years ago. As for the name... it doesn’t really have one. The lab just called it by a serial number. But we generally call it ’Giant Spirit Iron.’"

Yang Shen nodded. Although he couldn’t take this "red tag" Divine Weapon, he had at least obtained some important information...

’The System’s approval really is something else... Even if it’s not a Marvel of Heaven and Earth like a Family Heirloom, something pointed out by a random side quest is still priceless.’

Yang Shen listened as the manager introduced every long weapon. Although each had its own unique features, at this stage, none of them were more practical than his "Curse Engraving." Since he couldn’t take the [Giant Spirit], he suggested looking in other sections.

’I don’t necessarily have to pick a spear.’

’I saw some bizarre, unclassifiable items earlier. I might as well go check them out and broaden my horizons.’

The manager naturally had no objection. The things here were bizarre and varied; it was normal to be overwhelmed by the choices.

But as he walked past a certain spot, Yang Shen noticed another flash of a red tag beside him. This was the second one he had seen, so he couldn’t help but take a longer look.

It was a one-handed, short staff.

What attracted Yang Shen, besides the red tag, was its design.

Unlike most of the weapons in the Armory, this one had clear signs of being from the modern era. Its craftsmanship and design philosophy were advanced, and it even had a button-like mechanism in the middle.

’Judging by its structure, if you press it, the sides probably pop out, like a magician’s wand, turning it into a long staff...’

’A "modern weapon" with a red tag...’

The tag read: [Tungsten Cloud Staff]...

Seeing Yang Shen stop, the manager also looked over. "Huh? This thing was sent back again?"

Yang Shen asked, "What do you mean?"

"This weapon... the Dean occasionally requisitions it. The last time he took it was about three years ago, I think. I don’t know when it was returned."

’The Dean? The one who’s one of the Nine Martial Venerable?’

’Holy shit, a weapon even the Dean uses? How awesome must this be?’

"What’s special about this weapon?"

The manager shook his head. "I’m not sure either. I just remember something the Dean said when he came here three years ago."

Everyone in Yanhua worships the Nine Martial Venerable, so he remembered every encounter with him vividly.

"The Dean said: ’This item can stimulate one’s Martial Dao Will. It’s a bit of a waste for an old man like me to use it, but it’s a pity the young ones can’t handle it...’"

Yang Shen found it utterly inconceivable...

’Is there really a reliable way to stimulate Martial Dao Will?’

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