World's No. 1 Swordsman-Chapter 95: The Spiritless Sword

Ma Zibin had been saying that he had something good in store for Wang Sheng ever since he arrived. Unexpectedly, it turned out to be a sword.

A celestial sword developed by the research institute? Stay calm. Keep expectations in check to avoid disappointment later.

After just a few steps, they reached a password-protected door. Ma Zibin fiddled with it for a while, and the two silver-white doors slid open to the sides. A mixed scent of medicinal herbs, machine oil, and the pungent odor of chemicals rushed out, making Wang Sheng tear up and almost unable to keep his eyes open.

"Ah, sorry, I turned off the ventilation fan on my way out. Hold on a moment."

If Ma Zibin hadn't insisted that this was his laboratory, Wang Sheng would have thought that he had stepped into a poorly maintained storage room. There were all kinds of large, medium, and small instruments piled up in such a clutter that Wang Sheng couldn't take it all in at a glance. Still, though he naturally couldn't name the complex devices, he could tell that Ma Zibin's research topics were incredibly diverse.

On the left wall, several pictures quickly caught Wang Sheng's attention: an antique-style constellation chart; a "table talisman," which was essentially an image of deities used for New Year rituals that Wang Sheng had seen in his childhood; and a few water paintings.

"Give me a moment. Let me find where I put that sword. It arrived yesterday, and I tossed it somewhere..."

Ma Zibin scratched his head and started rummaging through the pile of miscellaneous items. Soon, he walked over with a long case in his arms and a smile on his face.

"Little Wang, what do you think of this sword? It's one of the applied research achievements of our institute. Since it's too expensive to mass-produce for the military, only a few samples were forged, and most were given to Special Warfare Unit instructors who specialize in sword combat."

An expensive sword?

Wang Sheng's eyes lit up as he stared intently at the long case in Ma Zibin's arms. Deliberately building suspense, Ma Zibin placed the long case on the lab bench in front of Wang Sheng and slowly unlocked the combination lock.

This was truly similar to calling for something a thousand times before it finally emerged, revealing only half its form like a pipa behind a silk veil.

When the long case was opened, a dazzling cold light swept forth, and an antique-style longsword was uncovered. The blade shimmered with flowing light, and the edge was as thin as a cicada's wing, yet Wang Sheng slightly frowned. As he wheeled himself closer, a trace of disappointment flickered in his eyes but was quickly hidden away.

"This sword is made from an advanced composite material, costing about three thousand... per gram," Ma Zibin explained. "I don't specialize in materials science, so I don't fully understand the details. I specifically requested this from an old friend of mine for you."

Three thousand per gram? Is he unknowingly taking advantage of state resources?

Smiling, Ma Zibin carefully lifted the longsword and handed it to Wang Sheng. "Here. Do you like it?"

Wang Sheng took the longsword, finding it extremely light in his hand. When he flicked it with his finger, the sword unleashed a crisp, clear ring that was unlike any he had ever heard.

"It truly is a fine sword... Thank you, Professor Ma."

"As long as you like it." Ma Zibin laughed somewhat sheepishly. "I didn't make that myself; I'm just presenting it on behalf of someone else. They were just letting it sit there gathering dust in storage as an exhibit.

"By the way, since you frequently battle corrupt cultivators, I got you a few small gadgets that might come in handy. Hold on, let me find them... Why is this place such a mess? Doesn't anyone ever tidy up?"

Mou Yue softly reminded, "Daoist Master Wang, just accept whatever Professor Ma gives you."

Wang Sheng could only smile and nod slightly. Ma Zibin's consideration was purely out of his long-standing connection with the mistress.

He then looked at the sharp, almost divine longsword in his hands and sighed slightly in his heart.

This sword...

Aside from sword masters like Yuan Pu, Wang Sheng's swordsmanship—along with his comprehension and understanding of the Dao of the Sword—was already first-rate among those in today's cultivation world.

Every sword that Wang Sheng had held carried a faint sense of "personality." It was as if he could read the story imprinted upon its blade. How it was forged, who had wielded it before, whom it had clashed with, how many weapons it had struck against... Even a newly forged sword should have its own history.

However, the sword in his hands had none. It was so cold and utterly empty.

Wang Sheng brushed his fingers along its spine, flicked it gently, and listened to the clear melody it produced. Unfortunately, he couldn't sense even the slightest trace of spirit within it.

"Is something wrong, Daoist Master Wang?"

"It's nothing. This sword is just a bit too sharp. It disrupts the natural order," Wang Sheng casually replied as he placed the longsword back into the case and quietly watched it.

In truth, it was merely an extremely sharp weapon shaped like a sword.

Limited by its material and forging techniques, Abyss Listener could only be classified as a lowest-tier artifact, barely worthy of being called a treasured sword. However, based on his experience and perspective, it was the most spiritually resonant sword that he had ever wielded. It certainly wasn't famous, but he had often perceived the spirit within it while contemplating the Dao.

Meanwhile, the sword before him was crafted from impeccable composite materials unknown in ancient times, and its forging techniques were beyond evaluation, likely utilizing various mechanical methods. However, it lacked spirit.

Why does it lack spirit? Is it simply too sharp? Does it truly disrupt the natural balance?

Wang Sheng knew that the sword wouldn't help his swordsmanship in any way. On the contrary, it could even have some negative influence. Nevertheless, feeling reluctant to give it up so easily, he picked up the sword again and slowly performed a few sword techniques.

His movements remained unaffected. Infusing true essence into the sword was also exceptionally smooth. His cultivation level was nowhere near the sword's limit, and its creators had even made sure it enhanced the wielder's true essence.

How do their scientific minds even manage such a feat?

Wang Sheng channeled his true essence, making threads of sword radiance immediately surge from the tip of the blade. With a casual swipe at the corner of the nearby table, he instantly shaved off a thin layer of stainless steel. Not only did he not feel any resistance at all, but the sword also remained completely unscathed.

Though it was useless for cultivating the Dao of the Sword, it was excellent for combat.

Wang Sheng was not a picky person. Since it was a carefully chosen gift, he had no reason to complain. By principle, he should offer something in return, but he truly had nothing suitable to give.

"Professor Ma—Uncle Ma, does this sword have a name?"

Still rummaging through a cabinet, Ma Zibin replied without looking back, "The team that made it called it Light Edge No. 6. I doubt you'd like that name, though, so feel free to rename it."

Wang Sheng thought for a moment. When Ma Zibin finally returned with a few small boxes in hand, Wang Sheng said, "Let's call it Spiritless."

"Spiritless? Sounds pretty good." Ma Zibin chuckled. "You cultivators always have this classical romanticism about you, unlike us researchers. Our minds are stuck on dissecting the nature of Daoism and primal qi." novelbuddy-cσ๓

Wang Sheng smiled. "Uncle Ma, your work benefits the entire Hua Republic. We cultivators only look after ourselves."

Ma Zibin sighed. "That's only true if we can achieve a real breakthrough. Many research projects are stuck at a bottleneck. That's why we wanted to interact with real cultivators. We learned a lot from this afternoon alone.

"Anyway, take a look at this! It's one of my inventions from last year: the third-generation Primal-Qi Gatherer!"

Wang Sheng's interest was immediately piqued. He carefully returned Spiritless into its case and examined the strange-looking boxes on the table.

The first item that Ma Zibin handed over resembled a posture corrector. He gestured for Wang Sheng to try it on. Wang Sheng hesitated, but since he didn't want to refuse, he still wore it over his Daoist robe.

Can this thing really enhance the absorption of primal qi?

Now in full lecture mode, Ma Zibin proudly explained, "I based the design on the Shangqing Sect's Qi-Gathering Talisman and an ancient formation recorded in an old text. I realized that the talisman was a simplified version of a qi-gathering formation, which gave me an idea.

"We haven't fully deciphered the fundamental workings of talismans and formations, but that doesn't stop us from applying them. Think of it as a key; we might not understand its inner mechanics, but we can replicate it using a mold and still unlock a whole new world of energy applications. This is the activation button. Try it out."

Wang Sheng nodded and pressed the button near his ribs. He then heard flowing water.

Looking down, he saw no visible change. Soon, however, waves of slightly murky primal qi began surging toward his chest and back.

He tried absorbing some. The quality was no different from what he usually took in directly from the air, but because the surrounding primal qi density had increased, his absorption speed had nearly matched the rate he achieved when meditating in seclusion.

It actually worked!

Having the device was like carrying a portable qi-gathering formation.

Not only could it extend his endurance in battle, but wearing it while cultivating would also accelerate his progress.

"This has already been issued to the Special Warfare Unit. The only downside is that it's not breathable, so it gets slightly warm after prolonged use. It won't be a problem in winter, but it can be quite uncomfortable in summer," Ma Zibin admitted, then sheepishly laughed. "It also needs to be recharged every twelve hours. To compensate, I added a wireless charging feature."

Ma Zibin was clearly not entirely satisfied with his invention, finding it imperfect. Nevertheless Wang Sheng was at a loss for words.

This thing can even be charged? By the heavens, just how far had the Hua Republic's research into primal qi progressed? It's only been three or four years since primal qi returned!

"My next goal is to add a purification and filtration function to purify the absorbed primal qi, making it even more efficient for the user," Ma Zibin added, exciting Wang Sheng even more.

With renewed enthusiasm, Ma Zibin moved on to introduce the next batch of goodies.

Wang Sheng had already thought that the primal-qi gathering device was remarkable, but the next two inventions left him even more amazed.

"This glove comes in both left-hand and right-hand versions, so it works no matter which hand you use for your sword. It has three functions. When the switch is off, it increases adhesion to surfaces like stone walls or smooth surfaces, allowing you to climb buildings with ease. When you turn on the switch on the back and infuse it with primal qi... Try it."

Wang Sheng slipped on the glove and channeled a small stream of primal qi into it. Then, he pressed the button on the back of his hand.

Bzz!

A half-meter-wide primal qi shield materialized on the back of his hand.

Ma Zibin grinned. "It forms a shield using primal qi—a defensive technique that cultivators at the Seed Formation Realm use. The array embedded in the glove minimizes qi loss, allowing you to conserve primal qi and stay in the fight longer."

Wang Sheng nodded solemnly.

Though he would soon recover from his leg injury and return to Wudang or Zhongnan, at this moment, he had to show his appreciation for the organization.

The priority was to get these treasures out first!

Ma Zibin added, "The button on the palm lets you consume primal qi to enhance your grip strength."

A device that passively gathered primal qi, a glove that provided both defense and utility, and Spiritless—these three alone already significantly enhanced Wang Sheng's combat capabilities.

However, Ma Zibin wasn't done. With a mysterious smile, he remarked, "Satisfied already? Wait until you see my proudest achievement so far. Keep your eyes wide open! Don't blink!"

As the third box was opened, a tightly compressed gray fabric bundle shot out, unfolding in midair into... a pair of men's boxers.

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