Chapter Thirteen: The Dung-Removing Treasure!

The fiery red sunset cast the entire Golden Mountain Temple in a blaze, as if it were being roasted by flames. Willow branches swayed gently, small birds darted through woodland paths, skimming across the fresh lake, and circling above the Armory Pavilion.

Boom!

A sudden explosion thundered, deafening all who heard it.

The startled birds fled in a panic, dropping waste as they escaped.

Today, the Abbot was in good spirits. Even when a splatter landed on his head, he did not grow angry; instead, he set out with his beloved staff to search for the Heavenly Barking Dog.

At the very moment thunder rumbled, the Abbot stumbled in fright and tumbled down the cliff. He struggled to climb back up, muttering curses under his breath.

Countless monks were hurrying toward the Armory Pavilion.

What on earth had happened?

“Damn it! Damn it!” Elder Huiqi, blasted by the explosion, had been thrown into the latrine, leaving him covered in filth.

“Cough, cough, cough…”

Amidst the thick fog, many came to their senses, eyes fixated on the site of the explosion.

“Was it a failure?” someone asked, only to realize as soon as the words left his mouth how obvious the answer was.

It was never meant to succeed—even Elder Huiqi had thought it impossible. How could it possibly have worked?

“With such a massive explosion, Zhuge Yixiu must have been killed, and the one closest to him, Xiao Yan… Their internal strength is so weak, there’s no way they would survive!”

“Most likely… indeed… If you don’t court death, you won’t die.”

The billowing smoke was gradually blown away by the breeze, as if voices were speaking.

“Iron sand ready! Let’s try again!”

A familiar voice—Elder Huiqi quickly recognized it.

It was Xiao Yan!

He was still alive?

“Alright!”

Next came Zhuge Yixiu’s voice.

“How is that possible?”

None present could believe it. With such a large explosion, survival should have been impossible…

“Wait—I understand now!” Elder Huiqi suddenly slapped his forehead, grasping the crucial detail. “It’s because of the sand washing! If the sand washing step was done well and the purity of the iron sand was high, then even if the fusion failed, the power of the explosion would be greatly reduced!”

This…

Elder Huiqi looked at Xiao Yan with a grave expression, falling into deep thought.

This young monk could not possibly be a novice!

Could he be a master?

Elder Huiqi knew Zhuge Yixiu’s forging skills well—it was impossible for him to reach such a level. All his forging had been guided by Xiao Yan… If so, who exactly was this Xiao Yan?

Elder Huiqi doubted even he could achieve such results merely by offering guidance from the side…

“Look! Zhuge Yixiu is at it again! He really has no fear of death!”

The monks exclaimed in astonishment.

“Stop! It’s impossible to succeed!”

…

Boom!

Once more, the explosion rang out!

Failure.

Zhuge Yixiu finally spat a mouthful of blood, his face pale as death, looking as though he might collapse at any moment…

“Stop. Continue tomorrow,” Xiao Yan said coldly.

“Again!”

Zhuge Yixiu’s eyes glinted with stubbornness as he reached for the hammer once more.

“Yixiu! Rest for a while… Don’t continue… You’ll die!” Elder Huiqi dashed forward, grabbing the hammer from Zhuge Yixiu’s hand.

“I… can still manage…”

Zhuge Yixiu did not give up.

Night deepened, and another tremendous explosion echoed.

“He’s still going? Some things just can’t be forced… He’s so weak… If his internal strength can’t keep up, he probably won’t be able to stay in the Armory Pavilion in the future…”

Elder Huiqi, already preparing for sleep, shook his head and sighed.

…

The Forging Yard.

Zhuge Yixiu continued striking the iron block relentlessly.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Beside him, Xiao Yan had recovered, sitting idly, playing with a hammer. “Bold Monk, finish this round and get some sleep… It’s so late, and this is no good for the hammer…”

Under the dim firelight, Zhuge Yixiu’s face was ghostly pale, yet his internal energy had become strangely intense, as if it were stirring the flames of the forge…

“This… It’s as if heaven and earth are shifting… A forging genius is about to be born…” Fahai exclaimed in surprise.

“What? Are you talking about Bold Monk? A genius?” Xiao Yan nearly dropped his hammer in shock.

“I can’t say for sure. I only read about it in an ancient, lost forging manual. It’s said that when Gan Jiang forged the Fish-Gut Sword, similar phenomena occurred… Legend has it that lightning tribulation might even descend!”

???

Are you kidding me? Is this a joke?

Xiao Yan did not believe it.

Boom!

…

Damn…

A bolt of lightning struck down instantly.

Without missing, it landed right on Zhuge Yixiu’s bald head, knocking him out cold…

“Could it be true?” Xiao Yan blinked, unable to comprehend.

“No, the disturbance in heaven and earth continues…”

Fahai’s voice sounded again.

“Hah… Nonsense… Maybe I’m the genius? What a joke…”

Xiao Yan walked over to help Zhuge Yixiu up.

He tossed his hammer aside…

Bang…

The hammer landed precisely where Zhuge Yixiu had been forging.

In that instant, a vortex formed at the spot where the hammer fell.

???

“Heaven and earth unite, the dragon’s omen!”

Fahai’s voice trembled, nearly out of control. “This…”

Boom…

“It succeeded! Unbelievable…”

Xiao Yan: ???

Wasn’t this supposed to be as difficult as threading a needle from ten meters away?

There was no dazzling brilliance, no shimmering waves or radiant gleam. On the forging table lay a strange object, dull and lifeless.

A wooden scepter, but with a cap at its end…

Was this the legendary super-weapon, the Overlord, fusing eighteen weapons into one?

It looked odd…

“Isn’t this the Manure Extractor?”

Xiao Yan blurted out instinctively!

Fahai: …

“How did you know? I spent a long time thinking up that name…”

“Come on! You think I’m an idiot?” Xiao Yan was speechless.

“No, try it. It can transform into any weapon.”

Xiao Yan picked up the Manure Extractor, swung it a few times, and even placed the cap on Zhuge Yixiu’s bald head before dragging him back to the meditation chamber.

But… it simply wouldn’t transform.

“Cough, cough… Perhaps something’s missing… Nine-Ice Black Iron and Tiger Fang…”

“Why didn’t you say so earlier?”

“Tiger Fang isn’t hard to find, but Nine-Ice Black Iron is quite rare.”

“What does it look like?”

“Nine-Ice Black Iron is no ordinary metal. It’s said to be crystal-clear and lustrous, and under moonlight, images of beautiful women appear on its surface. It’s the pinnacle of forging materials; I doubt you’ll ever find it…”

…

Meanwhile, the Abbot finally managed to climb back up the cliff, only to be struck by lightning again and tumble back down…

“What bad luck.” The Abbot, covered in dirt, looked at his treasured staff and his mood brightened.

Though the dog was missing, his staff still accompanied him.

The staff was crystal-clear and radiant, and as moonlight touched it, a beautiful woman seemed to appear upon its surface…

The Abbot smiled through tears and fresh nosebleed.