Chapter 296 — The Form of Spirit-Transformed Blades

Just as Shen Mu thought this, his sword essence finally ceased, no longer merging into the orb. In total, there had been eight thousand sword essences.

"Eight thousand swords—this is death. Even with all my wealth, I would be bankrupted!"

Shen Mu felt some trepidation. Then he saw other vital essences flying in—Buddha figures, one after another, flying from all directions of the Six-Realms Spirit Treasury into the orb.

"Wait, isn't this a sword pellet?"

He was somewhat bewildered. If it were a sword pellet, it should have stopped by now. Why were Buddha-shaped vital essences still flying in?

Besides Buddha essence, there was blade essence—vital essence in the form of blades flying in one after another, merging into the orb. Then came dao essence in the forms of the Wuji Diagram, Taiji Diagram, Four Symbols Diagram, Five Elements Diagram, Bagua Diagram, and others.

Then came various runes—some insect patterns, some beast patterns, dragon patterns, phoenix patterns, bird patterns, divine patterns, demon patterns, and the script and designs of Youdu—a miscellaneous jumble.

Shen Mu's face turned from green to purple. These patterns and scripts must be because his Grand Unification cultivation method contained too many things—the Thunder Roar Mahayana Sutra, the Great Nurturing Dark Demon Sutra, the Nine Dragons Emperor Art, the Livestock Slaughtering Blade Art, and various other cultivation methods and divine abilities. Especially the Great Nurturing Dark Demon Sutra, which contained even more bizarre and strange methods.

Even the calculation methods from the Supreme Mystery Calculation Classic were manifested by his vital essence, becoming part of his primordial weapon's form.

"With so many forms, what will my primordial weapon ultimately evolve into?"

Shen Mu was uneasy. Would the sword pellet become some freak studded with all manner of weapons?

A freak was one thing, but the key question was: how heavy would this primordial weapon be once refined? How much money would it cost to refine?

After a long while more, all the vital essence finally vanished into the orb of light. The orb's radiance gradually dimmed, and the form of the primordial weapon within became increasingly clear.

Shen Mu was on tenterhooks, somewhat afraid to look, lest his primordial weapon turn out to be a form too ghastly to behold.

At last he mustered his courage and looked at the primordial weapon within the Six-Realms Spirit Treasury—and could not help but start. His primordial weapon was still in the form of a sword pellet, not at all absurd. It was not as he had imagined—a great Buddha studded with blades, swords, and bizarre objects.

The sword pellet remained a sword pellet, only now each sword essence bore many additional sigils: Buddha essence sigils, dao essence sigils, blade essence sigils, bird-beast-insect patterns, dragon-phoenix patterns, divine patterns, demon patterns, and Youdu script.

Shen Mu breathed a sigh of relief: "Thank goodness. At worst it will be heavy enough to kill, but it won't crush me flat. Though this sword pellet does seem a bit larger than others. If I could refine it into the water-form sword pellet like Grandpa Silent Craftsman's, it should be smaller..."

Shan Youxin and the others spent several hours, working until the next day, before finishing the adjustments. The Supervisory Workshop began operating.

Shen Mu had also stayed up all night to condense his primordial weapon's form, yet he was full of energy. He summoned Shan Youxin and said, "My primordial weapon's form is determined. It is only somewhat troublesome to refine—I need to forge eight thousand sword blanks."

"Eight thousand sword blanks?" Shan Youxin was startled and blurted out, "Cult Master, eight thousand sword blanks would be enough to refine a small sect's treasure. Are you certain you need so many swords?"

Shen Mu nodded and said helplessly, "To refine these eight thousand swords to the level of size at will and form a sword pellet—even I find it a headache."

Shan Youxin hesitated, then said, "Eight thousand swords would be enough to arm an army. To produce so many sword blanks, we would need the finest metals..."

"Before the calamity, I sold some medicine and exchanged it for some money."

Shen Mu thought again of Snow Fox, who managed the money, and felt some fondness for the little fox. "I still have a million Dafeng coins here. I wonder if that is enough?"

Shan Youxin was startled, then laughed. "How could we let the Cult Master spend his own money? Our halls habitually collect heavenly treasures and earthly materials. For instance, we have people in the mines—when they dig up treasures, they often do not report them to the state but hide them privately."

He glanced around, saw no one nearby, and lowered his voice: "The rule of the Holy Cult: the finest are offered to the emperor, the finest of the finest go into the Holy Cult's treasury."

Shen Mu was astonished.

Shan Youxin smiled. "The Cult Master wishes to refine a primordial weapon—naturally a great matter. The heavenly treasures and earthly materials in the Holy Cult's treasury can all be put to use. The Cult Master need only give the order to open the treasury, and our Heavenly Works Hall can take out the treasures to forge eight thousand sword blanks for you. I dare not say the materials are the finest, but they will not be much inferior to the swords worn by first-rank officials."

Shen Mu let out a turbid breath and said, "Where is the treasury?"

"The Cult Master does not know where his own treasury is?" Shan Youxin was caught between laughter and tears. "Naturally, it is on Sacred Mountain."