Seeking Truth with a Sword-Chapter 602 - 543: Favoritism

Li Ang hesitated, then turned and asked Ati, who was beside him, "The list includes a Dragon Fall Spear—is that also available for selection?"

"Since the Mountain Master allows it, then it is possible."

Ati, seeming to perceive Li Ang’s concern, calmly explained, "When the founding Emperor of Yu Country worked with the Academic Palace to defeat various warlords and restore Chang’an, both sides reached an agreement to entrust items, including the Dragon Fall Spear, to the management of the Academic Palace."

Otherwise, according to the rules, treasures like those from the Former Sui Imperial Family would be kept in the Imperial Palace.

Understanding the implications, Li Ang nodded and turned back to continue reading the item description.

Scholars of the Academic Palace had conducted extensive research on this spear. Unfortunately, because the Former Sui Imperial Family had obscured its past, it was now impossible to trace the true origin of the Dragon Fall, nor to confirm whether its material was indeed Dragon Blood Dragon Scale—after all, no one had ever seen a True Dragon.

’When thrown with the full strength of a Martial Arts Grandmaster, the Dragon Fall’s Cloud Soaring Effect can create a cloud wall ten Zhang in diameter around the spearhead, capable of piercing through an entire mountain...’

Cloud wall... could it be referring to the Prandtl-Glauert condensation cloud produced by transonic flight? The airflow velocity breaks the speed of sound, becoming faster than the speed of air conduction. This prevents it from effectively pulling the airstream downwards, leading to decreased density, reduced air pressure, and water vapor condensation.

With Mo Si’s assistance, Li Ang’s physical strength was no less than that of an Innate Martial Artist.

If he exerted his full strength, perhaps he could also unleash the Dragon Fall’s might.

As for the side effect of long-term contact with the Dragon Fall causing mutations in his own flesh...

With Mo Si present, Li Ang wasn’t too worried about this.

"If you have confirmed that you want this item, please follow me."

Ati turned and walked towards the doorway, picking up the lantern.

Li Ang withdrew his hand, severing his connection with the Bookworm Immortal.

The myriad stars in his vision instantly vanished. He felt a pang of regret as he patted the Bookworm Immortal’s head, then quickly turned and followed the Mechanical Servant Puppet.

Ati continued down the spiral staircase. The light from the oil lamp grew dimmer, and mysterious red dots appeared in the surrounding darkness, like eyes sprouting to spy on the visitors.

Li Ang realized these must be the physical manifestations of the Dongjun Tower’s prohibitions. He forced himself not to look at those red orbs, his mind inevitably recalling the old story of Jun Qianzi’s defection from the Academic Palace.

Had Jun Qianzi really bypassed these prohibitions to steal dozens of Mutated Objects back then?

After descending the spiral staircase for more than fifteen minutes, the light from Ati’s oil lamp had shrunk to the size of a bean sprout. The myriad red eyes stared down at Li Ang from above but ultimately did not attack.

STEP.

Ati stopped, gestured for Li Ang to step back slightly, then took out a key and opened a door on the wall.

The room behind the door was pitch black, without a sliver of light.

Ati handed the oil lamp to Li Ang, instructing him to stand in the corridor and not move, then entered the room himself.

Accompanied by a series of mechanical whirring, beastly roars, and the scraping of chains, Ati slowly walked out of the room, holding a long Water Spirit Box.

Through the lid of the Water Spirit Box, the crimson spear could be seen lying quietly within.

Ati silently mouthed, "Do not open it here." He handed the Water Spirit Box to Li Ang, took back the oil lamp, and started back up the spiral staircase.

The return journey was much faster than the descent. The light from the oil lamp brightened noticeably, and the surrounding red eyes quickly dissipated.

Before long, they returned to ground level.

"When using the Dragon Fall, it’s best to wear gloves. Do not let pets, horses, or ordinary people touch it.

For maintenance, it should be irrigated once a month with the blood of a Third Level or higher demon beast. If that’s not available, you can bring it to Dongjun Tower for upkeep."

After giving a few instructions, Ati walked to the storeroom and specifically cautioned, "Due to the Dragon Fall’s special background, it’s best not to advertise its existence, or you might attract unnecessary trouble.

If you want to experiment with the Dragon Fall’s effects later, you can go to the Martial Arts Arena upstairs."

"Understood."

Li Ang nodded, took the oilcloth paper Ati brought from the storeroom, and wrapped up the long Water Spirit Box.

Ati watched his receding figure, a strange light flickering in the puppet’s dull eyes.

According to Academic Palace rules, even though Li Ang held the rank of Inspector, he shouldn’t have been able to access a Mutated Object of the Dragon Fall’s caliber at his Cloud Patrol Early Stage cultivation.

Items like Chu Ren’s Shield and the Yama Banner shouldn’t even have appeared as options for him.

The only explanation was that the Mountain Master had shown favoritism, personally allowing this situation.

A frenzied roar from the young man echoed through the room. Several maids and servants, panicking, fled outside, dodging the teacups and tea hurled from within.

Bian Chenpei sat on the bed in the corner, clutching the teacup lid he hadn’t thrown, panting heavily.

His hair was disheveled, his eyes were sunken and bloodshot, his knees were wrapped in thick bandages, and his calves below the knees were noticeably atrophied.

What enraged him was an article in a Yu Country newspaper announcing that a new medicine developed by Li Ang of the Academic Palace would soon be in practical use.

Why?!

Bian Chenpei clenched his fist and smashed it into the wooden bedpost, snapping the solid wood.

Why were his kneecaps dug out and eaten by Ghost Shovel, leaving him unable to stand on his own, while Li Ang, the one pursued by Ghost Shovel, had escaped death? He disappeared for so many days that everyone thought him dead, yet he returned to Yu Country unharmed!

Haotian above, this is unfair!

Splinters from the broken bedpost pierced the side of Bian Chenpei’s palm, and blood dripped freely.

Yet, he seemed to feel nothing, his gaze fixed on the newspaper article.

Several servants stood by the bed, wanting to use cloth and tweezers to remove the splinters from Bian Chenpei’s hand, but feared his sudden rage. They could only stand frozen, tweezers in hand.

Footsteps approached from a distance. A robust young man walked to the door. Judging by his uniform, he was a Deputy Envoy of the Judgement Court—the same position Bian Yubo previously held.

"Senior Brother Duan!" 𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝚠𝕖𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝕖𝚕.𝚌𝗼𝗺

Upon seeing the young man, Bian Chenpei’s spirits lifted, and he eagerly asked, "What did my father say?"

The young man, Duan Buqun, a disciple of Bian Yubo, calmly shook his head and said, "Cardinal Bian’s wish is for you to learn to adapt to your injuries and accept Haotian’s arrangements."

Bian Chenpei’s expression froze, his facial muscles twitching.

The Taihao Mountain cultivators who participated in the siege against Ghost Shovel among the Turkic people suffered heavy losses. Many were torn to shreds on the spot when Ghost Shovel fully activated its Devouring Heaven and Earth magic. Those who were fortunate enough to survive also sustained extremely severe injuries.

Actually, there was a solution for Bian Chenpei’s crippled legs.

Taihao Mountain’s treasury contained the relevant technology to use mechanical components, like puppets, to replace his missing kneecaps and allow him to stand again.

In the Judgement Court, where expeditions against demons were most frequent, many cultivators with severed limbs had them restored this way.

Considering practical needs, Taihao Mountain’s Holy Ceremony, Torch Language, and Faith Cultivation Academies turned a blind eye to the Judgement Court’s discreet practices, allowing its cultivators to acquire prosthetics.

Otherwise, according to Haotian Sect doctrine, installing prosthetics was akin to embracing Alien demons—both were considered an invasion of the divinely bestowed human body and had to be resisted.

However, Bian Chenpei was different. His father was now a Cardinal of the Judgement Court, second only to the Head and not far from the ultimate position of Sect Master.

Other members of the Judgement Court could have prosthetics, but Bian Chenpei, as the Cardinal’s son, could not. He had to accept his disabled state to prove his father’s absolute loyalty to Haotian doctrine.