Chapter 74: Two Hammers Combined, Lifting Heavy Things with Ease!

Li Yuan had always paid close attention to the combination of the Commanding Talisman and the Controlling Effect.

Before obtaining the Bai Yuan Fundamental Chart, the pairing of the Great Artisan's Hammer and the Green Jade Copper Hammer was already perfect; the Perfect Hammer Technique enhanced by the former precisely met the Controlling requirements of the latter.

The combination of a thousand-jin force, immense power and weight, armor-breaking horizontal cultivation, and the Perfect Hammer Technique was the key to his ambush and assassination of Qin Xiong.

Now, his Hammer Technique has reached perfection; he no longer needs the Great Artisan's Hammer to enhance it, yet he can still meet the Controlling requirements of the Green Jade Copper Hammer. Furthermore, with the Bai Yuan Force General achieved and the enhancement from the Fundamental Chart reduced, he naturally needs to reconfigure the Controlling effects.

"Perhaps, after the Commanding Talisman promotes and the interval for switching Controlling effects shortens, I can prepare two sets, or even more, of weapon combinations for Controlling..."

Inside the Inner Vault, Li Yuan paced back and forth, pondering in his heart.

As he acquired more weapons, his understanding of the Commanding Talisman deepened further.

According to the different Controlling effects, weapons can be divided into many types.

Items like the Fundamental Chart and the Great Artisan's Hammer provide greater enhancement for daily practice, while enhancements like that of the Green Jade Copper Hammer are more suitable for Controlling during combat.

To be more specific, the Six-Direction Boots are suitable for traveling and escaping.

Practice, combat, traveling—Li Yuan felt he needed to prepare at least three different Controlling combinations, switching them at any time according to different needs.

Expanding on this, he even felt he could prepare a Controlling combination completely different from his own to handle matters inconvenient for him to appear in person...

"But that requires the Commanding Talisman to promote; a one-day cooldown is truly too long. If I could switch without a cooldown, how wonderful that would be?"

Li Yuan looked forward to the promotion of the Commanding Talisman.

"The weapons in the Inner Vault are just these. Junior Brother Li, feel free to look around yourself. I'll wait for you at the door."

Wang Hu yawned and leaned against the warehouse entrance.

In recent years, the Weapon Forge has opened branches in every county town, and the Inner Vault's weapons have long been half-empty; one can see most of them just by standing at the door.

"Alright."

Li Yuan nodded.

This was not his first time in the Inner Vault; he had long memorized the various weapons and did not need Wang Hu to introduce them one by one.

There were over forty superior-grade sharp blades. In these past few months, some had been sold, but Zhang Ben and he had also forged some, so the quantity was roughly the same.

"The few I have my eye on haven't been sold yet. Good, good."

Li Yuan felt slightly relieved, scanning the weapon racks one by one.

Refined Steel Wind Tiger Mace, Hundred-Refined Wind-Breaking Hammer, Cold Light Jade Knife, Little Pure Silver Sword...

Though all were superior-grade sharp blades, there was actually no obvious difference in quality. The few he favored were not necessarily the best in quality; they simply had better Controlling effects, making them appear higher in his mind.

If his money bag were not so thin, he would have bought them all long ago.

【Refined Steel Wind Tiger Mace (Second Tier)】

【Forged from refined steel hammered a thousand times from Green Spirit Iron, tempered with the blood of several fierce tigers, and hammered multiple times to create a superior-grade weapon. It lacks a bit of toughness but possesses immense momentum. Only those with exceptionally strong physiques can wield it.】

【Controlling Condition: Thousand-Jin Force】

【Controlling Effect: Lifting Heavy Things as If Light, Tiger's Might, Long Weapon Mastery】

【Hundred-Refined Wind-Breaking Hammer (Second Tier)】

【Forged from White Wind Iron refined a hundred times in fierce fire, tempered with cold wind, and hammered multiple times to create a superior-grade sharp blade. It is hard, heavy, and full of toughness...】

【Controlling Condition: Great Perfection of Hammer Technique】

【Controlling Effect: Heavy as a Hundred Jun, Body Talent, Hammer Talent】

Within two meters, blue light flashed continuously. Glancing around, everything radiated the glow of the Second Tier. Li Yuan felt the pulse of the Commanding Talisman deepen, with a strong urge to sweep them all up in one net.

"Controlling effects actually follow a pattern. What kind of weapon has what effect can be roughly deduced. The Hundred-Refined Wind-Breaking Hammer is extremely heavy; a martial artist who uses it for years must inevitably strengthen their physique. The Hammer Technique..."

Comparing the many weapons and their respective Controlling effects, Li Yuan fell into thought.

As he came into contact with more weapons, his understanding of the Commanding Talisman continued to deepen.

"The Cold Light Jade Knife

and the Little Pure Silver Sword require a knife technique or sword technique of Perfect level or higher to control. Currently, the Refined Steel Wind Tiger Mace and the Hundred-Refined Wind-Breaking Hammer suit me better."

After circling around, Li Yuan arrived at the hammer weapon rack, reached out, and lifted the Hundred-Refined Wind-Breaking Hammer. It felt heavy in hand, at least a hundred jin and upwards.

A 'mace' and a 'hammer' are similar but different; the former is mostly made of wood, but iron ones also exist and are classified under hammer weapons.

This Wind-Breaking Hammer has a long handle and a large head; it is the largest and heaviest weapon in the Inner Vault. Even with a force of a thousand jin, wielding it would still appear heavy and clumsy.

"My own strength cannot wield this hammer. With the thousand-jin force enhanced by the Green Jade Copper Hammer, it should be about right."

Weapons are certainly not better the heavier they are; speed and strength have no primary or secondary status; complementing each other is best.

Li Yuan felt that with a force of a thousand jin in both arms, the weapon should not exceed fifty jin.

For weapons weighing over a hundred jin, one needs at least a force of two thousand jin to handle them with ease.

"These two weapons, paired with the Green Jade Copper Hammer, are a perfect match. Thousand-jin force, immense power and weight, heavy as a hundred jun, lifting heavy things as if they were light, long weapon mastery, plus the Hammer Talent bonus!"

Regarding the combination of these three heavy weapons, Li Yuan had thought about it countless times in his heart.

Alas, first, his visible silver was insufficient; second, before the Hammer Technique reached perfection, the Controlling conditions for the Green Jade Copper Hammer required enhancement from the Great Artisan's Hammer to be met.

He could not meet the Controlling conditions for these two heavy weapons.

"My Hammer Technique is now perfect, so I can directly control the Green Jade Copper Hammer. The enhancement from the copper hammer can then meet the Controlling conditions for the Refined Steel Wind Tiger Mace. This is the optimal combination.

As for the Hundred-Refined Wind-Breaking Hammer, let's take it down as well. If someone else buys it, my heart will ache. Even if I can't control it, I can still hold it to smash people!"

After calculating slightly, Li Yuan made a decision in his heart.

Thousand-jin force, immense power and weight, combined with lifting heavy things as if light and long weapon mastery, all in one, then swinging this long and heavy Hundred-Refined Wind-Breaking Hammer.

How terrifying would that be?

At the very least, smashing people with it would surely be far more ruthless than using a practice hammer!

In his past life, during those years wandering the Jianghu, Li Yuan learned not only midwifery and conducting rituals, but also many other things, such as not displaying one's wealth.

Especially sudden windfalls.

If his expenses exceeded what his visible income could account for, someone was very likely to notice.

Even if there was only the slightest chance of being noticed, Li Yuan did his best to avoid it; aside from buying wrought iron and exchanging for gold, he kept all his windfall gains.

On the surface, every tael of silver he spent came from smithing, and for a time he was stretched painfully thin.

Fortunately, Fatty Sun had returned.

"All told, you must have borrowed over a hundred taels from Sun Hao by now? How is that fatty so generous?"

Zhang Ben was more than a little suspicious.

Fatty Sun was a stingy man — amassing a hundred taels wouldn't surprise Zhang Ben in the least; sheltered by Tang Tong, he'd skimmed plenty of silver over the past few decades. But would he really be so willing to lend it out?

"When disciples borrow money, it's also ten-out-thirteen-back. Why wouldn't he lend?"

Li Yuan spread his hands.

He really had borrowed a hundred taels from Fatty Sun — that one could withstand verification.

"Very well, but once is once and never again. Just this once."

Zhang Ben shook his head again and again.

He strongly disliked it when people in the shop bought weapons at the internal price and then resold them outside for profit, but knowing Li Yuan owed so much silver, he could only offer a few half-hearted reprimands.

Afterward he simply wrote out a slip, letting him buy those two heavy weapons at the internal price.

If it had been anything else, he would have hesitated. Those two heavy weapons had been gathering dust in the storeroom for years — selling them at the internal price wasn't really a loss, was it?

"Thank you, Master."

Having cleared Zhang Ben's hurdle and asked Wang Hu to send those two heavy weapons back to the little courtyard, Li Yuan didn't idle either; taking advantage of the daylight still left, he went clang-clang at the forge.

Spending seventy-six taels of silver in one go, and still owing for twelve superior-grade sharp blades, his heart felt as though it were being cut with a knife.

……

Pfft!

Three flying knives stabbed into the

inner armor hanging on the clothes rack, producing three muffled thuds before bouncing to the ground.

"A second-grade inner armor — its defense really is extremely strong. Ordinary flying knives, even infused with blood qi, can't pierce through!"

Li Yuan picked up the flying knives, gave the inner armor a light shake, and finding not the slightest mark on it, was immediately very satisfied.

Armor was the foremost prohibition in the Great Cycle — the strictness of its control exceeded even that of bows and crossbows, and not without reason.

A martial artist's physique and strength far surpassed the ordinary; clad head to toe in armor, they were practically a humanoid fierce beast — no need to even consider sheathing the blade until they were fought to exhaustion.

Inner armor couldn't compare to true armor, but its value was likewise extremely high.

"But for me, inner armor is far more practical than a full set of armor…"

Draping the inner armor over his body, Li Yuan decided he wouldn't take it off even to sleep.

Night had fallen, but his spirits were excellent. He tidied up and had a late-night snack, fed the little field mouse a few slices of meat, and only then returned to his room.

In the candlelight, the two heavy weapons radiated a cold gleam.

Hammer-type weapons were relatively simple to forge, yet their price was often higher than other weapons of the same grade — the reason was none other than their sheer weight and the materials they consumed.

Hoo!

After closing the door, blowing out the candle, and making sure even the little field mouse wouldn't see, Li Yuan reached out and drew the Refined Steel Wind Tiger Staff into his Weapon-Bearing Space.

Clatter~

The already crowded Dingxin Dingxin Shitai gained another great hammer; several weapons nearly got squeezed out, but fortunately Li Yuan decisively chose to switch his Weapon-Bearing loadout.

And promptly transferred out the few weapons that had nearly tumbled into the deep, dark abyss.

"Weapon-Bearing: Jasper Essence Copper Hammer, Refined Steel Wind Tiger Staff!"

Hum!

Inside the room, Li Yuan let out a muffled grunt as he sat up, slightly dizzy, his ears ringing faintly, as though blood qi had rushed to his head all at once.

But compared to the first time he bore the Jasper Essence Copper Hammer, it was much better.

Hoo~

Gently easing his sinews and bones, Li Yuan felt the augmentation of the Jasper Essence Copper Hammer.

After his bone structure had been altered and the Grand Circulation of Blood Qi achieved, his own strength already exceeded a thousand catties, so naturally his capacity to bear it was different.

And compared to the fierce augmentation of the Jasper Essence Copper Hammer, the augmentation of the Refined Steel Wind Tiger Staff seemed to permeate quietly like a gentle rain — not too overwhelming.

Crack!

Li Yuan reached out and lifted the Wind-Breaking Hammer; the hundred-plus-catty great hammer landed in his hand, and he immediately felt the difference.

【Weight-Light-as-Feather: Martial artists who have long wielded heavy weapons no longer feel weapons that ordinary people find extremely heavy; they swing them like grass and bring them down like a heavy hammer…】

【Tiger's Might: When a tiger roars in the mountains, all beasts panic; weapons swing, the wind they break sounds like a tiger's roar, capable of shaking the hearts and souls of all who witness it…】

【Long-Weapon Mastery: Fa Huan Yi Tong may not mean mastery of all, but through years of hard practice, one has already gained insight into the use of long-shafted weapons…】

"This is Weight-Light-as-Feather — what a treasure!"

Li Yuan raised the Wind-Breaking Hammer with one arm, bent and extended his elbow, then swung it back; the hammer head traced a half-circle, and the sound of it cutting the air was like a tiger's roar.

It so terrified the little field mouse under the table that its hackles stood on end; it shrieked once and dropped stiffly to the ground.

"Hey, hey hey… you still alive?"