"A spirit pattern like a hammer..."

Thinking of Tang Yan’s identity as an Artifact Refining master, Xu Yang’s heart stirred. Could it be some kind of hammer skill for Artifact Refining?

Just from the surface, he couldn’t spot anything special, only that it seemed far from ordinary!

After a moment, Xu Yang said, "I’ll go take a look at that hammer!"

"You’re going to try to lift the hammer?"

Wei Wu was shocked and quickly reminded, "Be careful! That hammer’s no joke. Even Martial Artists in the Myriad Phenomena Realm struggle to lift it, and you have to swing it ten thousand times!"

"Just look at Qin Yuan, he tried several times before he barely managed it, and his strength isn’t any weaker than most Late Stage Myriad Manifestation cultivators!"

In his opinion, while Xu Yang’s cultivation was impressive, fulfilling the conditions was simply impossible!

"I’m at the Middle Stage of the Myriad Phenomena Realm!" Xu Yang grinned.

"Middle Stage?"

Wei Wu was astounded!

He couldn’t see through Xu Yang’s cultivation, but could sense he was a Myriad Phenomena Realm expert!

But he’d only guessed he was at the Early Stage, not the Middle Stage!

But still...

"It’s still no easy feat, the difficulty is immense; all these years, only a handful met the ten-thousand-hammer requirement, and not a few at the Late or even Perfected Myriad Manifestations Realm failed!"

"That hammer seems able to adjust itself to the Martial Artist’s strength. Some say it’s actually a True Monarch’s Supreme Treasure!"

"Thanks for the warning!"

Xu Yang gave a slight smile and walked straight over.

That hammer was most certainly a True Monarch’s Supreme Treasure!

But it was only barely touched by a trace of a True Monarch’s aura!

Compared to a genuine True Monarch’s Supreme Treasure, it was just a semi-finished product!

Even so, it was still utterly shocking!

As for the secret technique, he was merely curious, not caring whether he could comprehend it!

As long as the ten-thousand-hammer requirement was met, that was enough!

"Eh? Who’s that guy? Why haven’t I ever seen him before?"

"He’s at Middle Stage Myriad Phenomena, not weak. He’s going to try lifting the hammer."

"Looks like he came with Wei Wu, Wei Wu."

Xu Yang’s action instantly drew a lot of attention.

Who wouldn’t want a shot at lifting the hammer?

But most had tried many times with zero hope, and gradually gave up.

So now, when an outsider tried, everyone just wanted some entertainment and to watch the spectacle.

"Who is he?"

"I don’t know, seems like it’s his first time here in the capital. I met him outside, he wouldn’t even tell me his name!" Wei Wu whispered.

"An outsider?"

The crowd grew interested: "Looks like some prodigy from elsewhere, but trying the hammer isn’t that simple!"

"Wanna bet on whether he can lift it?"

"Heh, I’ll bet on how many times he can swing!"

"Come on, how many swings? If he can even lift it, that’s impressive enough!"

...

A group of people got excited immediately.

Something fun to watch, and a wager on top!

Isn’t this way more fun than a duel?

The people here were all old friends anyway, and long since bored.

Xu Yang ignored everything behind him and reached the other side of the stone wall.

The stone wall was huge, divided into two sections—one inscribed with spirit-pattern secret techniques, the other embedded with an enormous, ancient bronze hammer!

The hammer’s head was bigger than a person’s head!

There was not the slightest aura!

The handle pointed outwards, as if someone had smashed the giant hammer into the wall.

Xu Yang narrowed his eyes, then suddenly grasped the hammer handle with his hand!

Buzz!

The hammer trembled slightly, and a surge of indescribable wild power erupted outward.

"What power! This impact is almost at the level of the Myriad Manifestations Realm Perfection."

Remembering Wei Wu’s words, Xu Yang pondered; sure enough, the hammer’s power adjusted to the strength of the one lifting it.

"Still, it’s merely a semi-finished item and can’t sense my true strength!"

Xu Yang chuckled lightly. Confronted by this surge, he stood motionless, gripping the handle steady and firm!

"Rise!"

Boom!

The giant hammer was wrenched straight from the stone wall, sending out waves of tangible, ancient bronze energy that fiercely twisted the space around it.

The might was terrifying, striking fear into the heart!

The crowd at the back was dumbfounded.

"He lifted it just like that?"

"Looks so effortless—this guy is really strong!"

"Damn it, this just lost me my bet."

"But being able to lift it doesn’t mean he can swing it!"

"Hmph, I’m calling it, at most ten swings!"

...

Swoosh!

Xu Yang moved. Gripping the giant hammer, he started swinging it through the air!

As soon as the hammer moved, countless afterimages flooded forward like a net that totally shrouded dozens of yards in front of the stone wall—tight as could be!

It was so fast it was unbelievable, making people’s eyes blur!

Everyone was frozen with jaws dropped, their lips started trembling.

Wei Wu looked as if he’d seen a ghost!

"Shit, isn’t this way too fast?"

"That’s Mr. Tang’s giant hammer, a True Monarch’s treasure!"

"Why does it seem like a toy in his hands?" 𝚏𝕣𝐞𝗲𝐰𝕖𝐛𝐧𝕠𝕧𝚎𝚕.𝐜𝚘𝗺

"Who just said he’d manage at most ten swings?"

"Fuck, this is the first time I’ve seen anyone swing it this fast."

"Even Qin Yuan back then, and those few other successful ones, weren’t even a tenth as quick as him!"

...

The crowd was utterly rocked!

Lifting it, and swinging it this quickly, are two completely different things!

What did this mean?

It meant his strength was absolutely terrifying—utterly relaxed, no pressure at all!

Whoosh whoosh whoosh!!

The swinging continued. The first wave of hammer shadows hadn’t even dissipated before the next wave surged out, densely overlapping.

Just seeing this made everyone’s scalp tingle!

How long would it take to swing ten thousand times?

Less than ten breaths!

Bang!

The giant hammer stopped in midair!

Xu Yang put it back calmly, without a flushed face or shortness of breath!

Whoosh!

A flash of spiritual light suddenly floated out from the stone wall.

Following closely, a spot of spiritual brilliance shot forth!

Xu Yang snatched it up, opened his palm, and saw a piece of ancient bronze spirit pattern in his hand.

He instantly understood—with this pattern, he could get an audience with Tang Yan and ask for his help!

Xu Yang’s face lit up with delight.

He’d done it!

To be honest, it felt almost too easy!

Behind him, dead silence!

Everyone’s eyes were filled with shock!

Suddenly—

A muffled groan broke the silence!

Blagh!

Qin Yuan, sitting at the other stone wall, coughed up blood, his face turning pale as he abruptly awoke from his contemplation, expression ugly.

"Failed again."

"This secret technique is too obscure. The mysteries concealed in these spirit patterns are so wild they can barely be described; for Mr. Tang to accept an apprentice, you must have real talent in Artifact Refining—I guess I don’t have this destiny!"

He had tried more than once; this latest failure made him finally give up hope.

Qin Yuan wiped the blood from his lips and slowly turned around.

"She still isn’t here?"

"Eh?"

Qin Yuan frowned, suspiciously glanced at the crowd’s stunned faces, then followed their gaze and saw Xu Yang before the giant hammer.

Middle Stage Myriad Phenomena—who was he?

"What happened?" Qin Yuan frowned and asked.

Someone snapped out of it, gulped hard, and replied, "Mr. Qin, he—he just lifted the hammer and succeeded."

"Succeeded?"

Qin Yuan was startled. Half a year ago he’d managed it himself and got Tang Yan to forge him a Divine Weapon!

He knew very well how hard it was.

Looking Xu Yang up and down, Qin Yuan’s eyes narrowed. This guy seemed anything but simple!

"He swung it ten thousand times, in less than ten breaths!"

"What did you say?"

"Less than ten breaths? Stop joking, that’s impossible!"

Qin Yuan was horrified, then shook his head again and again, as if hearing a joke.