Chapter 231: The Rude Hammer Joins
Damian stared at the crude knife on the anvil, then looked at the blazing hammer.
For several breaths, the molten space remained silent.
Finally, Damian could not hold back anymore. "So... did I pass or not?"
The hammer spirit floated above the flames, its massive body glowing crimson and black.
A rough laugh rolled out from it.
"Hahaha! Pass?"
Damian’s mouth twitched. "Why do I feel like you’re about to insult me again?"
The hammer spirit snorted. "Because I am."
Damian sighed. "Of course."
The hammer spirit looked at the ugly knife on the anvil again. "Your control is rough, your rhythm is messy, your comprehension is poor, and that knife is ugly enough to make a blacksmith cry."
Damian pointed at the knife. "Hey, that thing has character."
"It has shame."
The pipa spirit coldly added, "Like its maker."
Damian glanced at her. "You two really teamed up fast."
The hammer spirit ignored him and continued, "However, you did not give up. You endured my pressure, used the technique correctly enough, and forged something that can actually hold Qi."
Its flames burned brighter.
"Barely passable."
Damian’s eyes immediately brightened. "So I passed."
"Barely."
"Still passed."
The hammer spirit released another deep laugh. "Thankfully for you, I have been bored here for too many years."
Damian raised his brow. "Meaning?"
The blazing hammer slowly descended, its flames becoming calmer but heavier. "Meaning I will follow you out."
Damian’s smile widened at once.
The hammer spirit’s voice became rough and curious. "Let me see which woman you plan to gift me to."
Damian grinned. "Don’t worry about that. I’m sure you’ll love her."
The hammer spirit hummed. "She had better be strong."
Damian’s grin became even brighter as he introduced her. "She’s hot-blooded, stubborn, loves fighting, walks the flame and forging path, and needs a hammer that matches her temper. Although... she’s also a bit tsundere."
The hammer spirit paused.
Its flames flickered with interest.
"Not bad."
Damian nodded with satisfaction. "See? I told you I have good taste."
The pipa spirit floated quietly to the side, clearly unwilling to praise him.
The hammer turned toward her. "Are you going to him?"
The pipa spirit nodded. "Yeah. Him."
The hammer spirit became silent for a breath, then spoke in a lower voice. "Are you sure? He is known to be one of the strongest here, you know."
Damian blinked. "Who?"
The pipa spirit looked deeper into the darkness. "The third weapon I wanted to show you."
The hammer’s flames tightened. "That one is not easy to convince."
Damian’s eyes slowly brightened.
Instead of fear, his expression filled with greed. "Hehehe... good."
He wiped the blood from his lips. "Then let’s go meet him."
The hammer spirit stared at him for a moment. "You really are not afraid?"
Damian shrugged. "I was nearly killed by a poor simp with a King Grade sword, bullied by a pipa illusion, insulted by a hammer, and forced to forge while half-dead."
He paused, then smiled shamelessly. "At this point, fear feels a bit late."
The pipa spirit’s faint figure glanced at him. "You make suffering sound like bragging."
Damian nodded. "That is also a talent."
The hammer spirit laughed loudly.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
Its flames shook the molten space again.
"Interesting! Very interesting!"
The massive blazing hammer slowly shrank, turning into a smaller crimson-black hammer wrapped in fire-metal chains.
A moment later, it flew toward Damian.
Damian reached out and caught it.
THUD!
His arm sank immediately.
His knees almost bent from the weight.
"Damn... you’re heavy."
The hammer spirit’s voice echoed from the weapon. "Of course. I am not some pretty toy."
Damian steadied his arm and grinned. "Good. Vulkara will definitely like you."
The hammer spirit hummed deeply. "Then do not die before giving me to her."
Damian clicked his tongue. "Everyone keeps saying that like I enjoy dying."
The pipa spirit replied coldly, "You fake it too often."
Damian had no answer.
He silently stored the hammer away.
For some reason, he felt like he had just gained another rude companion.
Still, rude or not, it was a King Grade hammer.
A real King Grade hammer.
Damian’s mood improved instantly as he looked deeper into the darkness. "One pipa and one hammer... now let’s see what the last one is."
---
Damian followed the pipa spirit and the hammer spirit deeper into the [Forbidden Deep Tomb].
The darkness ahead became quieter, and only a thin, cold killing intent spread through the air like invisible mist.
Damian frowned. "Damn... why does this place feel worse than the hammer’s volcano?"
The hammer spirit’s voice came from his storage ring. "Because, like I said, this one is one of the strongest here."
The pipa spirit added coldly, "It is also quite cold and arrogant."
Damian’s brow twitched. "That doesn’t make me feel better."
A few breaths later, he finally saw it.
A sword.
Damian froze for a second, then slapped his forehead. "Right. This is still the Sword Tomb. I almost forgot some of the strongest weapons here should obviously be swords."
In front of him, a long silver sword floated silently above a broken stone platform.
Its body was elegant and beautiful, with a thin blade like moonlight, a graceful hilt, and faint silver patterns flowing across its surface.
At first glance, it looked noble.
The aura around it, however, was the complete opposite.
Crazy killing intent poured from the sword like blood from an open wound, sharp enough to make Damian feel as if his body was being cut apart just by standing there.
Its killing aura was so brutal that it felt less like an elegant silver sword and more like a demon sword pretending to be holy.
Damian’s expression became serious. "What the hell..."
The hammer spirit spoke in a low voice. "That sword has killed too much."
The pipa spirit floated beside Damian, her voice quieter than usual. "It also rejected everyone who came here."
Damian stared at the silver sword, but before he could take a step forward, the blade suddenly trembled, and an even stronger wave of killing intent spread through the darkness.
A cold voice echoed from the sword. "After seeing the pipa and the hammer, I already know what you want. So let me make this clear... I will not leave."
The silver patterns along the blade flickered like moonlight reflecting off blood.
"Leave before I kill you."
Damian froze in place. For once, he did not answer immediately, because the killing intent pressing down on his body was growing stronger and stronger.