Martial Arts Longevity Begins with the Equipment Slot

Chapter 30: The Eight Trigrams and Eight Weapons

After packing his things, Chen Yu turned to leave.

Duan Yufeng called out to him.

"Brother Chen, wait a moment!"

"It's getting late, and the inns in the city are noisy. Why don't you stay at my residence for the night and continue your journey tomorrow?"

Duan Yufeng stepped forward half a step, blocking Chen Yu.

"I am deeply grateful for Brother Chen's help today, and I have no way to repay him. I will leave in peace."

"Brother Duan, you flatter me."

Chen Yu slightly turned his body, subtly creating a half-step distance between them.

"Seeing injustice on the road is just a matter of duty in the martial world, nothing to brag about."

"There are still matters to attend to at Sword Forging Manor that cannot be delayed. I will come to bother you again another day if fate allows."

Duan Yufeng repeatedly tried to persuade him to stay, his words earnest and sincere.

He wanted to invite Chen Yu to stay in the city for one night to fulfill his duty as a host and to repay the kindness of saving his sister that day.

Chen Yu, however, insisted on returning to the Sword Forging Manor.

As he declined, a thought crossed his mind.

Saving Duan Yuzhu today was merely a casual act; I never expected anything in return.

Now that they're so kind to keep me here, it feels like I'm taking advantage of their kindness and becoming a creditor.

In this world of martial arts, favors are the most entangled, so it's best to owe as few as possible.

Chen Yu's expression became increasingly polite, maintaining a perfectly appropriate distance throughout.

He was alone and there was no way he would spend the night away from home.

Seeing how wary he was, Duan Yufeng didn't insist on keeping him, but just sighed.

"If you ever pass through Sunset City again, be sure to let me know."

"I have no other skills, but I can still afford to prepare a cup of tea and a few side dishes."

"I appreciate Brother Duan's hospitality, but I'll take my leave now."

Chen Yu said no more and turned to leave.

Without stopping, we raced all the way.

Finally, before nightfall, they returned to the Sword Forging Manor.

When Chen Yu arrived at the forging room, the furnace fire had not yet been completely extinguished.

Master Xiahou Fei was sitting on a small stool, carefully wiping a newly forged goose feather knife with a piece of coarse linen cloth.

Seeing him come in, she looked up and grinned.

"You're back? Did you buy everything?"

Chen Yu placed the medicine basket next to the anvil and remained silent for a moment.

In the end, he recounted in detail his encounter with three armed bandits outside the city.

He spoke as calmly as possible, but did not shy away from the dangers of the time.

The blade was only inches from the neck; the slightest misstep would result in blood splattering on the spot.

Xiahou Fei initially listened casually.

Upon hearing "three knife-wielding thugs," he abruptly stopped what he was doing.

"Thank goodness... I'm alright."

"If anything were to happen to you today, how would I explain it to Lu Xiaoyu?"

"She entrusted you to me because she trusts my character! If my negligence harms you, I... I wouldn't be able to atone for it with my old life!"

Xiahou Fei muttered to himself, his dark face filled with lingering fear.

"It was my oversight that almost harmed you!"

"I've been a blacksmith my whole life, and my brain's turned into a lump of iron!"

"Knowing that things are not peaceful outside the city lately, Manager Wang said yesterday that his purchasing apprentice was robbed on the main road, yet I still let you, a greenhorn who has only been learning the trade for half a month, go into the city to buy goods alone."

"Although you have mastered the Wild Bull Shaking Mountain Hammer technique quite well, you have not yet experienced a real life-or-death battle."

Chen Yu hurriedly said, "Master, the Wild Bull Mountain-Shaking Hammer is very effective, I..."

"The Wild Bull Mountain-Shaking Hammer is good, but a large hammer is still inconvenient to carry."

Xiahou Fei shook his head repeatedly, interrupting him.

"How can you travel the world without a handy tool?"

As he spoke, he beckoned to Chen Yu.

"Come with me, and I'll show you the treasures I've collected over the years."

Chen Yu followed Xiahou Fei to a room with no windows on all sides.

Pushing open the door, a chilling atmosphere immediately hit me.

The room is small, about twelve square meters, and has a "回" (return) shaped layout.

In the middle is an octagonal bluestone display stand.

The tabletop is cast with molten iron to form a Bagua pattern, with the yang lines raised and the yin lines recessed, serving both as decoration and subtly corresponding to the base grooves of weapons.

On the display stand, eight types of weapons are arranged according to the eight trigrams.

"Pick one."

Xiahou Fei pointed to the booth and said to Chen Yu.

"If you see something you like, just take it."

Chen Yu didn't stand on ceremony and directly opened the weapon inventory to check the effects of each equipment.

Qian (☰) represents Heaven, and is located in the northwest direction.

[Weapon]: Meteorite Iron Sword

[Quality]: Mid-grade, Rank 7

[Description]: Three feet and six inches long, without a sheath, not mixed with human charcoal, made of iron from outer space that fell to the Western Regions, transported by glaciers and honed by wind and sand for millions of years, the sword body is covered with crystal iron patterns, like swirling nebulae.

[Evaluation]: Extremely strong and pure; when suspended, it is used to ward off evil spirits; when taken out, it is used to offer sacrifices to heaven.

[Equipment Requirements]: Strength no less than 60 jin, and proficiency in swordsmanship.

[Equipment Effect] Sharpness +30%, there is a 25% chance to trigger "Meteor" when attacking, causing the sword to burst with starlight effect, this time the damage is ×300% and ignores 20% of the defense, and can be triggered up to 3 times every quarter hour.

Kun (坤) represents the earth and corresponds to the southwest direction.

[Weapon]: Thick-backed machete

[Quality]: Mid-grade, Tier 6

[Description]: The knife is shaped like a fish head, with a back thickness of one inch, a blade width of four inches, and a total length of two feet. It has no point and is purely for chopping.

[Evaluation]: Extremely soft and thick, the blade is not sharpened, and it defeats the enemy solely through its weight.

[Equipment Requirements]: Strength no less than 80 jin (40 kg), proficient in heavy weapons.

[Equipment Effect]: After charging for 10 seconds, release "Mountain Crash Slash", which increases the damage by 220%, forcibly knocks back the target by 3 meters, and adds the "Shock" effect, which reduces the target's attack speed by 50% for 3 seconds.

Zhen (震) and Lei (雷) are located in the due east direction.

[Weapon]: Double Whips

[Quality]: Mid-grade, Tier 5

[Description]: A pair of bamboo-jointed steel whips, each two feet nine inches long, with thirteen sections, four-sided without blades, and the whip heads are melon-shaped.

[Evaluation]: The explosion was like thunder, the divine power was like lightning.

[Equipment Requirements]: Strength no less than 30 jin, proficient in dual-wielding weapons.

[Equipment Effect]: When attacking alternately from left to right, the third hit deals 120% more damage. There is a 10% chance to trigger the "Thunderous Roar" effect when attacking, which emits a muffled thunderous sound effect and causes the target to panic for 1 second.

Xun (巽) – Wind, located in the southeast direction.

[Weapon]: Soft sword

[Quality]: Mid-grade, Tier 4

[Description]: A belt sword with three blood grooves on the blade. It is three feet two inches long, only eight-tenths of an inch wide, and one-tenth of an inch thick. It can be wrapped around the waist. When wielded, the sword tip can vibrate up to three feet, and its trajectory is unpredictable.

[Evaluation]: Extremely gentle yet extremely swift, leaving no trace like the wind, only the killing intent remains.

[Equipment Requirements]: Strength no less than three jin, proficient in soft weapons, and basic skills in contortionism.

[Equipment Effect]: When wrapped around the waist, camouflage level +100%; upon entering combat, the damage of the first attack is multiplied by 280%.

Kan (坎) represents water, and is located in the due north direction.

[Weapon]: Emei Dagger

[Quality]: Mid-grade Tier 3

[Description]: A pair of weapons, forged from wrought iron, each one foot and two inches long, with a ring on the middle finger in the center, pointed cones at both ends, one end triangular and the other a flat blade, with a water ripple pattern all over.

[Evaluation]: Extremely dangerous and unusual, specializing in taking unconventional paths.

[Equipment Requirements]: Strength not less than 10 jin, proficient in dual-wielding weapons.

[Equipment Effect]: If the same target is hit by both daggers within 5 seconds, it will cause the "Strangulation" effect, which will increase the bleeding damage by 30% and reduce the healing effect by 70% for 8 seconds.

Li (☲) represents fire, and is located due south.

[Weapon]: Hook and Sickle Spear

[Quality]: Mid-grade, Tier 4

[Description]: A long weapon with a spearhead forged from wrought iron. The shaft is twelve feet long and has a hook at the bottom with the blade facing inward. It can cut horse legs, hook armor, and lock weapons.

[Evaluation]: Extremely fierce and burning, unadorned and unembellished, seeking only sharpness.

[Equipment Requirements]: Strength no less than 20 jin, height no less than 1.7 meters, arm span no less than 1.8 meters, proficient in long weapons, and basic knowledge of formations.

[Equipment Effect]: Sharpness +25%, crouch for 3 seconds to enter "Barricade Stance", damage dealt to cavalry within a 10-meter radius is increased by 90%.

Gen (艮) represents the mountain, which is located in the northeast direction.

[Weapon]: Iron Mace

[Quality]: Mid-grade, Tier 5

[Description]: Short-handled hammer, with a cast iron head and a wrought iron handle. The handle is 1 foot 8 inches long. The garlic clove-shaped hammer head is 2 inches in diameter and has 8 edges, each edge with ribs. It has no sharp point or blade.

[Evaluation]: Extremely heavy and powerful, it can be wielded like lifting a mountain. When it strikes an object, it can penetrate armor, causing internal injuries but not external ones.

[Equipment Requirements]: Strength not less than 80 jin, proficient in using blunt weapons.

[Equipment Effect]: Each time an attack is blocked, there is a 20% chance to reduce the target's weapon durability by 10%. If the target remains stationary for more than 5 seconds, the target will enter the "Mountain Form" state, which reduces the damage taken by 15%.

Dui (☱) and Ze (☱) represent the due west direction.

[Weapon]: Mandarin Duck Axes

[Quality]: Mid-grade, Tier 6

[Description]: The two instruments are symmetrical, each nine inches long, crescent-shaped, with four points and nine blades. They are used for hooking, stabbing, cutting, and locking in one instrument, one in each hand, forming a pair of mandarin ducks.

[Evaluation]: Extremely unpredictable and ever-changing, like a dance or a game of chess, concealing deadly intent.

[Equipment Requirements]: Strength no less than five jin, proficient in Baguazhang.

[Equipment Effect]: Each attack randomly changes its attack. If the attack is not interrupted, each stack increases attack speed by 10%, up to a maximum of 100%. If the attack is blocked/dodged, the stacks are reset to zero, and attack speed is reduced by 50% for 3 seconds.