This was a barrel, a barrel of a primordial force gun.
A barrel that the King of the Apex cherished and placed here could not be an ordinary one. Judging by its grade, this barrel had already reached the ninth level, just one step away from becoming a legendary gun in the world.
As for a ninth-level primordial force weapon, Qian Ye had never even touched one, let alone possessed it, except for that one chance encounter with Manjushaka.
Qian Ye steeled himself and continued to review the information.
The beginning was a self-account by the King of the Apex, extremely concise. It stated that the King, in his haughty prime, believed there was no place in the world he couldn’t tread. However, during a journey, he accidentally entered a perilous realm, narrowly escaping death, and his beloved wife died saving him. At that time, the King of the Apex was still a hair’s breadth from reaching the Divine King Realm. This minor difference prevented him from saving his wife’s life.
Had the King of the Apex become a Divine King sooner or taken fewer risks, he would not have lost his beloved. Yet, Ji Wentian, a once-in-a-generation prodigy, used his supreme means to retain a fragment of her soul, and searched everywhere for a way to resurrect her. Later, under the guidance of an extraordinary person, Ji Wentian learned that if he used the material from a Void Beast and infused it with his beloved’s soul, he might forge a legendary gun. All legendary guns possessed a spirit, and in a sense, it would mean his beloved would be resurrected within the gun.
Subsequently, the King of the Apex learned that there was a gravely injured and dormant Earth Dragon in the Neutral Zone. Undeterred by the vast disparity in strength, he journeyed a great distance and boldly engaged the beast.
The Earth Dragon’s power was terrifying, even when severely wounded, it was more than what Ji Wentian, not yet a Divine King, could match. However, undaunted by death, Ji Wentian managed to seize a fleeting opportunity in the moment of life and death, dealing a grievous blow and ultimately slaying the dragon. Then, the King of the Apex took the Earth Dragon’s skull and heartblood, infusing them with his beloved’s soul, and forged the gun on the spot.
But creating a legendary gun was no easy feat. Without reaching the Divine King realm, he could not control the power of the soul. In the end, Ji Wentian failed, only managing to create a gun barrel before exhausting his primordial force. The failure to forge the gun led to the dissipation of the soul. Amidst despair, Ji Wentian suddenly gained enlightenment, transcending the peak of the Divine King, and thus the King of the Apex was born.
But it was too late.
Afterward, Ji Wentian returned to the Neutral Zone and set up various measures to commemorate that time and ensure it remained undisturbed.
Reading this, Qian Ye finally understood the source of the King of the Apex’s state of mind. Perhaps this barrel still possessed a trace of sentience, but it was far from generating a soul. Ji Wentian’s love had long since faded into nothingness.
Next, Qian Ye meticulously examined the capabilities of this barrel.
Compared to a regular primordial force gun, the additional abilities on this barrel left by the King of the Apex were astonishing. The first ability Qian Ye noticed was Lethal Strike. This ability combined the effects of heavy ammunition, precision shooting, and extended range, all enhanced significantly. Whether it was range, accuracy, or lethality, the improvement was more than twofold.
To put it simply, even the most ordinary primordial force gun, if imbued with the Lethal Strike effect, could instantly rise to the peak of its tier. Such an ability was only slightly inferior to the Primordial Wing. According to Andua, the Primordial Wing could be infinitely upgraded, something this barrel could not match.
Another ability was Heavenly Seal. This ability enhanced the wielder’s control over the surrounding primordial force environment. Without deliberate activation, it would maintain the environment in its original state, making any external changes more difficult.
Heavenly Seal seemed insignificant, offering no direct enhancement to the wielder. However, upon careful thought, Qian Ye realized the terrifying potential of this ability. Simply put, within its range, the effectiveness of all other domains, except those of the gun wielder, would be weakened!
In battles between strong warriors, the outcome often hinged on the domain. A dominant domain, even if not offensive, could cut off the opponent’s use of the surrounding primordial force, making the result evident.
Apart from Manjushaka, Qian Ye had never seen a primordial force weapon with domain-related abilities. In life-or-death battles, even the slightest change in domain strength could have significant consequences. Thus, in the hands of a strong warrior, Heavenly Seal’s power was immense.
There were many other secondary abilities, such as super durability, primordial force absorption, recovery, and harmonious assembly…
With super durability, the barrel could almost match Dongyue, meaning it could withstand a clash with Dongyue. Primordial force absorption allowed the gun to draw energy from the environment, storing it in the primordial force array for later use. The majority of the primordial force needed for Lethal Strike and Heavenly Seal came from this storage, significantly reducing the burden on the wielder.
Additionally, if the barrel was damaged, as long as the damage was not severe, it could slowly recover. However, damaging this barrel with its super durability would not be an easy task. Qian Ye felt that even with Dongyue, he would struggle to injure the barrel without going all out.
Harmonious assembly made it easier to pair the barrel with other components to form a complete primordial force gun. After all, it was just a barrel.
Any of these “secondary” abilities, if added to another primordial force gun, would instantly transform it into a valuable weapon with rare characteristics, significantly increasing its value. To be worthy of these secondary attributes, a gun at least needed to be a seventh-level gun.
Holding this unremarkable barrel, Qian Ye almost saw a dazzling light. Was this really just a barrel?
This was indeed just a barrel, handcrafted by the King of the Apex.
The barrel had no name, and the King of the Apex did not intend to give it one.
After reviewing the abilities, the subsequent information was somewhat vague, possibly requiring a certain mindset to view. The specific mindset was not mentioned, perhaps because the King of the Apex did not want future generations to see it.
However, with the current urgent situation, Qian Ye had no time to delve deeper. Knowing the primary abilities was sufficient. This barrel was indeed a lifesaver, and Qian Ye already had a plan for its use. He took out the primordial force gun crafted by Cui Yuanhai, quickly removed the old barrel, and attached the new one.
The new barrel and the gun body were not entirely compatible, but the harmonious assembly ability proved its worth. The primordial force array on the barrel adapted, merging seamlessly with the arrays on the gun body and mechanism, as if the gun had always been this way.
With the new gun in hand, Qian Ye felt a surge of confidence. This barrel, stored for decades, was already fully charged with primordial force. Even with Qian Ye’s current cultivation, he could unleash the Lethal Strike effect. Otherwise, a ninth-level peak primordial force gun would drain him completely, rendering it unusable.
Qian Ye turned and bowed to the stone table, saying, “Grateful for the gift of my predecessor. If I survive today, I will repay you in the future.”
With that, he strode out of the stone temple. Having resonated with the King of the Apex’s feelings, Qian Ye did not wish to harm a single blade of grass or a tree in the temple. Instead, he abandoned the advantage of the terrain and prepared to fight Wei Lao and Carol outside the temple.
How swift the actions of the divine general! By the time Qian Ye emerged from the temple, Wei Lao and Carol had already arrived. Seeing Qian Ye walk out, Wei Lao appeared somewhat surprised, narrowing his eyes and saying, “You actually chose not to defend inside the temple. Rare, indeed.”
Carol, not understanding, looked at Wei Lao with confusion. To her, the stone temple was simple and not particularly sturdy. She could easily bring it down with a single whip. What was the point of hiding inside? It would only trap oneself.
Wei Lao, knowing Carol’s confusion, explained, “This stone temple surely bears the mark of that individual. Destroying the mark might alert him, even if there are no defenses here. If he remembers this place, we won’t be able to stay in the Empire.”
Carol understood, having experienced the Path of Conscience. She knew the power of the King of the Apex, and this was from seventy years ago, when he had just become a Divine King. How much stronger was he now?
If the King of the Apex had left some kind of contingency in the stone temple, they might not be able to handle it.
Qian Ye stood quietly, waiting for Wei Lao to finish, then said, “Are you ready?”
Wei Lao nodded, his eyes sharp as they swept over Qian Ye. “Such magnanimity is truly rare. For others, it might seem foolish, but for you, it is wisdom disguised as folly. If you return to the Empire, your actions today would earn the favor of His Highness. Past issues would no longer matter, as long as you change your ways.”
“Oh? Why am I wise in folly?”
“Your nature is such, not deliberately so, and it subtly aligns with him, making you his half-successor.”
Qian Ye replied, “Thank you for your guidance, though it is a pity.”
Wei Lao also sighed, “It is a pity. With time, you could easily become a renowned figure. But alas, you are destined to perish here today.”
Carol, listening, suddenly said, “I heard the Empire’s situation is dire. The floating land battlefield is barely holding on, almost being pushed back to the mainland. Isn’t this the time to use every capable person? Why can’t someone like you be used?”
The floating land seemed a distant memory to Qian Ye, but Carol’s words brought back vivid memories. Zhao Jundu, Song Zining, Wei Po Tian, and Zhao Yuying, each person and every battle, as if they had just happened. On that battlefield, Qian Ye had shed too much blood and endured countless battles to secure a small space for survival against the dark races.
Maiden, Eaden, and Edward, his enemies were also figures of their era, each battle worthy of poetry. But he never expected that the most dangerous enemy would come from behind, with the most lethal blow delivered by an ally.
All of that was in the past. The instigator, Li Fengshui, had already fallen by Qian Ye’s hand. Organizations like the military departments existed in every nation, just under different names. Qian Ye was no longer the fiery youth of old, well aware of the dark side of politics.
A wave of nostalgia washed over Qian Ye. Although he was far from the Empire, if the Zhao family faced a crisis or his brothers like Zining and Po Tian encountered mortal danger, he would still return and act. But Qian Ye would no longer seek the Empire’s rewards. After a bloodbath, he would drift away like a cloud.
Sighing inwardly, Qian Ye thought, perhaps the one to blame was fate itself?
Wei Lao looked at Qian Ye, his expression complex, and said, “You do not understand. He can tolerate the Empire, but the Empire cannot tolerate him.”
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