World's No. 1 Swordsman-Chapter 96: The First Artifact of His Life

When primal qi returned, the Hua Republic—its resurgence's initiator—responded swiftly. To seize the opportunity that it had brought, someone had proposed the concept of a "super cultivator army" early on.

Since then, many research projects at the Cultivation Research Institute had been dedicated to forging an elite cultivator force. Ma Zibin, who was not initially a highly regarded researcher, quickly became a key figure due to his outstanding contributions in the field of tactical cultivation equipment.

As an imaginative scientist, he was full of unconventional ideas and had both the capability and determination to bring them to life. Even the super briefs that he had invented were already being tested and promoted within the Special Warfare Unit.

Though they looked like an ordinary pair of briefs, they had... extraordinary functions.

Undergarments were worn in only two ways: innerwear or outerwear. Any alternative usage, such as wearing them over the head, was not under consideration.

"Don't be shy. Who doesn't wear underwear?" Ma Zibin said with a chuckle. "My research follows two main principles: secrecy, to catch opponents off guard, and the maximization of equipment placement. After all, most enemies wouldn't expect you to have a hidden trick in such a critical area.

"To achieve this, I specifically studied twelve enchanted garments from museum collections, analyzing the formations and restrictions they contained. I even accidentally damaged two antiques and got my salary docked for a month."

Smacking his lips regretfully, Ma Zibin stretched out the briefs. "Try injecting some true essence into it."

"Does that thing also need to be charged?" Wang Sheng asked hesitantly. Upon closer inspection, he noticed fine gold threads hidden beneath the gray silk fabric.

Infusing true essence...

Right now, he could just hold it to inject true essence, but if he were wearing it, which part of the body would he have to use to channel energy into it?

Naturally, it has to be the meridian acupoint at the base of the spine!

Following Ma Zibin's instructions, Wang Sheng infused a wisp of true essence. At that moment, his vision brightened.

The golden threads hidden within the gray silk emitted a faint golden glow, revealing a complex formation that slowly surfaced. Thin strands then shot out, writhing like serpent spirits.

Wang Sheng was immediately reminded of an artifact that he had once seen at the Mount Mao exchange meeting: Liu Yunzhi's golden-threaded enchanted robe.

Ma Zibin grinned. "It doesn't need charging. Even if it did, this isn't exactly a convenient spot for that. Wireless charging with heating? Haha! This piece of equipment should be counted as a genuine artifact.

"The golden silk threads are made from a type of mutated silk known as Drunken Celestial Butterfly Silk, which emerged after the resurgence of primal qi. Through modern technology, my students and I successfully cultivated this material in large quantities, making mass production possible.

"Each thread can only stretch up to six meters, though, which is inferior to silk harvested from wild Drunken Celestial Butterflies. Nevertheless, the undergarment has already been introduced to the elite forces of the Special Warfare Unit. It can serve as a last resort for soldiers who have been captured or are facing a life-or-death situation.

"Since most of our warriors' uniforms focus on defense, using Drunken Celestial Butterfly Silk for their outerwear would conflict with that priority. Turning it into an undergarment solves that problem while also conserving materials. It's a win-win situation."

Wang Sheng could only give a thumbs-up. Objectively speaking, the golden-threaded enchanted briefs were certainly a brilliant innovation.

"Here, try them on," Ma Zibin said.

"Uncle Ma, my leg is injured..."

"Ah, right. Well, at least take them with you. I'll pack everything up for you."

Ma Zibin carefully stored the items in several boxes, paying extra attention to the sword case for Spiritless.

Spiritless was incredibly sharp, requiring a specially crafted scabbard to be safely stored. Since making such a scabbard was prohibitively expensive, they used an alloy sword case instead.

The case itself was also a piece of advanced technology. It featured a fingerprint security system, which Ma Zibin helped Wang Sheng set up. He then explained its primary functions.

When worn on the back, the case could be set to eject mode, allowing the sword to be launched from over the shoulder. When held, it could be switched to normal mode, ensuring stable and safe drawing of the Spiritless Sword. The case also had several other features, including automatic cleaning, automatic maintenance, and blade damage detection.

For a moment, Wang Sheng wanted to ask how much the sword case cost. He never expected that the Cultivation Research Institute would have such a huge budget.

The country was truly rich.

Having received so many valuable gifts from Ma Zibin, Wang Sheng wanted to express his gratitude but didn't know how.

It wasn't as if he could offer to modify Ma Zibin's physique using true essence. Many experts in the Special Warfare Unit dedicated themselves to national service. As a core member of the institute, Ma Zibin couldn't be lacking in such benefits.

Noticing Wang Sheng's hesitation, Ma Zibin waved his hand and laughed. "No need to feel like you owe me anything. These are just small trinkets. Besides, considering my wife's friendship with your mistress, all the help you've given the investigation unit, and your potential, you can just accept these without worry.

"I heard from my superiors that there are quite a few talented individuals within the Daoist sects' younger generation of disciples. Even among them, you are still outstandingly powerful. Moreover, you have a solid stance and ideology. They might make you a model figure for cultivator publicity soon."

A what now?

Wang Sheng was speechless. He imagined pamphlets that detailed his deeds being distributed to all major Daoist sects and circulating throughout the entire cultivation world.

He wondered if it would be best to regulate his actions from now on. Better yet, he should just retreat into the mountains to cultivate in peace and avoid wandering outside unnecessarily.

Becoming a model figure aside, Wang Sheng never expected that the first true artifact that he would receive in his life would be... a pair of briefs.

Truly, no one else was like Ma Zibin.

Not wanting to put Ma Zibin in a difficult position, Wang Sheng refrained from asking any questions about the immortal corpse. He likely wouldn't get any answers even if he asked anyway.

Is the woman from the moon really still alive? If she is, what kind of story will she tell?

With such thoughts in mind, Wang Sheng engaged in casual conversation with Ma Zibin. Most of the time, it was Ma Zibin talking about his research on cultivation.

There were no longer any large-scale sects dedicated to artifact crafting. The only reason Medicine God Valley had survived to this day was the continuous efforts of its successors across generations. Throughout history, traditional medicine had always been more sustainable than blacksmithing and craftsmanship.

However, with the research institute conducting extensive studies on artifacts, it was filling a gap in the Hua Republic's cultivation scene.

If the research institute truly succeeded in mass-producing artifacts to arm the entire Special Warfare Unit, then no matter how many experts emerged in the cultivation world, none would be able to challenge the authority of the government.

The exchange meeting benefited not only Wang Sheng. The seven Daoist elders who attended also received gifts and were given the opportunity to study ancient texts that the authorities had collected.

It was already past 9:00 PM when the meeting concluded. After the Daoist elders had made their blood donations, they wrapped up the event smoothly.

During a private conversation, Ma Zibin confided in Wang Sheng that the Special Warfare Unit had a few experts in their prime who had already reached the Illusory Core Realm.

Since the institute's research focused on cultivator longevity, the Daoist elders who attended the event made ideal subjects for study. It was one of the institute's underlying objectives for the meeting. After all, the elders had all been nearing the end of their lifespans, yet had seemingly gained a second lease on life.

As the helicopter's rotor blades once again tousled the elders' hair, Wang Sheng cupped his hands and bowed to Ma Zibin. With a carefree wave, Ma Zibin bid him farewell. The lights made the gleam of his receding hairline particularly dazzling.

On the helicopter, the three Daoist elders traveling with Wang Sheng curiously examined the sword case on his back. Eventually, one of them asked about it.

Deciding not to hide anything, Wang Sheng opened the case and allowed the three elders to inspect the sword.

The first elder to handle the weapon immediately sensed its uniqueness. As his true-essence-wrapped fingers brushed against the blade's edge, fine cracks appeared in the essence coating.

"Tsk. This sword is incredibly sharp, but why does it lack any spirituality?"

"Let me see. All things in this world possess some measure of spirituality. Perhaps... I knew it. Fei Yu, my young friend, is there something special about this sword?"

"The research institute made it," Wang Sheng replied. "I don't know the specifics, but I heard the materials used were quite expensive."

The elder from the Longhu Mountains examined the blade with a serious expression. "This sword is neither an ordinary artifact nor a celestial-grade weapon. Its sharpness rivals some of the most legendary divine weapons in history, but using it for too long may hinder your comprehension of the Dao of the Sword."

"Thank you for the warning, senior. Unless I'm in a life-or-death situation, I will not unsheathe it."

The elder stroked his beard and smiled before returning the sword to Wang Sheng. "As long as you understand."

The conversation then shifted to the events of the exchange meeting.

Wang Sheng listened to the elders' discussions with a polite smile. The journey back to the investigation unit's temporary headquarters was uneventful.

When they landed, they found the investigation unit still busy interrogating the cultivators whom they had captured at dawn. They were also suppressing the spread of basic cultivation techniques that had begun circulating online. The entire place was bustling with activity.

Wang Sheng had no time to rest for too long either. After taking a short break, he inspected his newly acquired equipment. By the time he was done, it was almost time to head to the airport to pick up his senior sister.

He carried the sword case with him at all times, daring not to leave it unattended. If he lost it, he would have no way to explain himself to Ma Zibin.

Soon, Wang Sheng arrived at the airport arrival hall. His long hair, Daoist robe, and wheelchair made him stand out.

He couldn't help but worry about his senior sister. She rarely traveled, and this was her first time flying. Would she be uncomfortable?

Fortunately, it turned out that his concerns were unnecessary.

After waiting for a while, he spotted a young woman who looked just like his senior sister, but she was dressed far more fashionably. She had sunglasses on, tight jeans that emphasized her slender legs, and a light-red blouse that perfectly accentuated her slim waist. Dragging along a suitcase, she strode forward with confidence, her long, straight hair flowed behind her.

"Senior Sister?"

"Mm!"

Mu Wanxuan removed her sunglasses and glared at Wang Sheng, her eyes filled with irritation.

Wang Sheng smiled sheepishly. "I'm fine, seriously. I'll probably be fully healed by tomorrow—"

"Hmph." Mu Wanxuan effortlessly lifted her suitcase over the railing. Bulldozer immediately reached out to catch it. She hesitated for a moment before jogging around to take the proper path instead of jumping over the railing, which would be rather unladylike.

Mou Yue stepped aside to make space for her to push the wheelchair.

Mu Wanxuan faintly smiled at her. "Thanks."

"No need to be so polite, Daoist Master Bu Yu," Mou Yue replied quickly. "This is our responsibility."

Wang Sheng chuckled. "Senior Sister, you've started dressing up?"

Mu Wanxuan blinked and sent him a text message.

Mu Wanxuan: Junior Sister picked this outfit for me.

Just as Wang Sheng was about to ask about Chi Wen becoming Jingyun's disciple, he heard someone with a thick local accent excitedly call out to him from the arrival gate.

"Fei Lǘ dào zàng[1]! It really is you! Wang Fei Lǘ dào zàng!"

1. The person's accent made it sound as if they were calling Wang Sheng "Flying Donkey Dirty Daoist." ☜

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