bullyxtreme Chapter 350 Gold Teeth Department
Chapter 350 Gold Teeth Department
The Jinchi tribe is the most mysterious tribe among the hundred tribes of Nanyue. The tribespeople make a living by blacksmithing and mining.
It is said that their ancestors received the inheritance of immortals and were able to create pseudo-immortal weapons.
A weapon that can increase the combat power of terrestrial deities by 10%.
One percent may not sound like much, but at that level, one percent can mean the difference between life and death.
Half of the swords and knives used by the Nan Yue tribes came from their blacksmith shops; the other half were simply unaffordable for them.
More importantly, they control several rare mineral veins that produce Star Iron, Cold Marrow Copper, and Blood-Patterned Steel.
These are all essential components for forging powerful weapons.
Those major sects were all envious, but the Golden Tooth Clan was hidden deep in the mountains, protected by formations, and no one could find a way to get to them.
The village is built in a valley, surrounded by steep cliffs with bare stone walls so barren that even birds cannot stand on them.
There was only one narrow path leading in, so narrow that two horses couldn't even walk side by side.
Several stone pillars stand on both sides of the path, engraved with ancient runes. After thousands of years of wind and rain, the traces are still there.
There was a faint flow of spiritual energy above, and the air would be slightly distorted when it passed near the stone pillar, like looking at something through a flame.
Several warriors from the Golden Teeth tribe stood at the entrance of the village, wearing leather armor and long swords at their waists.
The scabbard was inlaid with golden patterns, making it look less like a weapon and more like a treasure enshrined in an ancestral hall.
The handle of the knife was wrapped with an unknown animal hide, which gleamed from being held for a long time.
The leader was an old man with gray hair and deep wrinkles etched on his face, like a cracked riverbed.
But he was energetic, with eyes as bright as a young man's, clear and bright, neither cloudy nor muddy.
His hands were covered in calluses, his knuckles were thick, and his fingernails were embedded with rust that could not be washed off. In some places, there were also scars from burns caused by sparks.
Upon seeing Lin Chen's carriage, he hurriedly came forward, bowing and clasping his hands in a gesture of respect that belied his age.
"Jin Laodao, chieftain of the Jinchi tribe, greets the Prince of Zhenbei."
Lin Chen got off the carriage and glanced at him.
The old man looked thin and had a rusty smell about him, mixed with the smell of charcoal and sweat.
But his stance is steady, and his lower body is solid, like a knife stuck in the ground.
His cultivation level was also quite high, at the mid-stage of the Celestial Realm, which was even higher than that of the Black Tiger.
It's not easy for a blacksmith to cultivate to this level.
Moreover, the leather armor he wore, though seemingly inconspicuous, revealed upon closer inspection to be woven with fine metal wires, the pattern of which resembled the runes on the stone pillars at the entrance of the village.
Lin Chen nodded slightly: "Clan Chief Jin."
Jin Laodao straightened up and said with a smile:
"Your Highness has come from afar; I have failed to greet you properly. Would you like to come into the village for a cup of tea? I have stored away two thousand years' worth of spiritual mist, which I have never been willing to part with."
Lingwu tea grows on cliffs rich in spiritual energy, sprouting only a few new buds each year. When brewed, a layer of white mist floats on the surface of the tea soup. Drinking it can clear the mind and brighten the eyes, and is beneficial for cultivation.
This stuff sells for 50,000 taels of gold per ounce in Dayan, and those that are a thousand years old are even more priceless and unavailable.
Although Lin Chen looked down on it, it was something that others could not obtain.
Lin Chen glanced at the sky; the sun was beginning to set, and the light in the valley was dimming quickly. If he entered the village now, he would probably have to stay overnight.
He shook his head: "No, I have to get going. I'll come and bother you another day."
Jin Laodao didn't insist. He took out a dagger from his pocket and handed it over with both hands.
The dagger sheath was made of black iron, with no patterns, and was very simple.
But it's quite heavy in the hand; the iron is mixed with stardust, which can prevent spiritual energy from leaking out.
He bent slightly forward, his tone flat:
"Your Highness, this was written by an old man himself. It is nothing but a token of my respect. If Your Highness finds it acceptable, please accept it."
Lin Chen took the dagger, pulled it out, and glanced at it.
The blade was gleaming, with fine patterns that flowed like ripples on water, refracting the sunlight into tiny fragments of light.
The blade is extremely thin, almost transparent, and you can see the shadows of the trees on the other side.
With a gentle wave of his hand, he cut a slit in the air, producing a faint hissing sound, like a snake flicking its tongue.
Where the blade passed, it left a faint silver trail that took several breaths to disappear.
Lin Chen's eyes lit up. There was an array on the dagger, engraved in the blade, which could not be noticed unless you looked closely.
There were three overlapping sharp formations, one armor-piercing formation, and another one he couldn't recognize, probably for fixing the blade to prevent it from chipping.
Lin Chen turned it over and looked at it. There was a line of very small inscriptions on the blade, written in ancient script, which he could not recognize.
But one can probably guess that it means something like "sharp" or "armor-piercing".
nice one!
The array patterns were as fine as hair, densely layered, and could not be carved without hundreds of years of skill.
Moreover, the spiritual energy circulation between the formations is extremely sophisticated. The three sharp formations overlap but do not interfere with each other; instead, they amplify each other.
This skill would be considered master-level even in Zhongzhou.
Lin Chen smiled and nodded: "Good knife, thanks."
He carefully put away the dagger and got into the carriage.
Jin Laodao stood at the entrance of the village, watching the carriage disappear into the distance, his back ramrod straight.
Behind him, a young man leaned closer and whispered:
"Chieftain, it took you three years to forge that dagger."
"Just the engraving alone ruined over twenty blanks. After finally finishing one, you're just going to give it away like that?"
Jin Laodao didn't turn around, looking at the carriage in the distance, and said calmly:
"It's just a dagger. It's worth it to be able to make a good connection with the Prince of Zhenbei."
The young man opened his mouth, as if he wanted to say something.
Jin Laodao waved his hand, turned around and walked back:
"Go back to work. The support structure of Mine No. 3 needs to be replaced. Don't wait until it collapses before you start repairing it."
The spiritual energy fluctuations have been unusual these past few days; please warn the clansmen to be careful.
The young man quickly followed, then looked back after taking a couple of steps.
On the path, the carriage had become a tiny dot, obscured by the trees lining the road.
……
Inside the carriage, Lin Chen casually tossed the dagger to Lan Fenghuang.
"Take it for self-defense."
Blue Phoenix caught it, examined it from all angles, pulled out the blade, and her eyes widened:
"My lord, this dagger..."
Her cultivation had already broken through to the Celestial Realm, making her a minor expert, and she could tell that this dagger was no ordinary item.
A cool, refreshing aura emanated from the blade, like the sensation of ice melting.
Holding it in your hand, you can feel three sharp arrays resonating, like three invisible knives stacked together.
Lin Chen leaned back on the cushion, crossed his legs, and said casually:
"A pseudo-celestial weapon can increase the combat power of a terrestrial immortal by 10%. That old man has really gone all out."
Lan Fenghuang quickly gripped the dagger tightly, carefully sheathed it again, and examined it from all angles.
Why did he give you such an expensive gift?
"He wanted me to remember him," Lin Chen smiled.
"The Golden Teeth Division makes a living by blacksmithing, and what they lack most is not ordinary iron ore, but rare ores such as Star Iron and Cold Marrow Copper."
These local mineral veins in South Vietnam have been mined for countless years. The shallow ones have long been exhausted, and the deep ones are difficult to mine, resulting in a decline in output year after year.
For the Gold Tooth Division to survive, it must either find a new mineral vein or buy it from outside.
The Great Yan region happens to have what they need: Star Iron from the North, Cold Marrow Copper from the East Sea, and Blood-Patterned Steel occasionally found in the West.
These things have always been controlled by Dayan; they can't be bought with money alone.
Lan Fenghuang said thoughtfully, "So he needs you to help him make the connection."
"It's not just about matchmaking." Lin Chen smiled.
"He needs a powerful backer. Countless people are envious of the skills that the Gold Tooth Department possesses."
They used to hide deep in the mountains, protected by formations, so outsiders couldn't get in.
But now a great upheaval is imminent, and the world will descend into chaos. His meager formations may hold off ordinary people, but they cannot stop true masters.
Lan Fenghuang carefully put the dagger away, patted it, and felt relieved.
"So what do you plan to do?"
"We'll talk about it when we get back." Lin Chen leaned back on the cushion, closed his eyes, and
"The affairs of iron ore and rare minerals have always been controlled by the imperial court, not by me alone."
However, that old man has some technical skills, so it's worth investing in him.
"I'll send someone to his village to check it out. If his skills are truly excellent, Da Yan wouldn't mind discussing a collaboration with him."
The carriage traveled for another half day before finally leaving the territory of Nanyue.
The terrain ahead gradually flattened out, and the mountains receded to the horizon, becoming a faint blue shadow.
The plains are covered with paddy fields, where rice is heading. When the wind blows, the green waves roll, and the air is filled with the fragrance of rice blossoms.
On a distant hillside, there is a city with low walls made of bluestone, the gaps filled with white lime.
But a semi-transparent light shield covered the city walls, like an inverted bowl, enveloping the entire city.
The light mask is very faint and cannot be noticed unless you look closely.
But occasionally, when a bird crashes into it, it will be gently bounced away, leaving a layer of fine light on its feathers.
That's the city's protective formation, set up by a master when the Nanzhao Kingdom was founded. It's been repaired and maintained for a thousand years, and its spiritual energy still flows through it.
Runes occasionally flashed across the surface of the light shield, like ripples on water, disappearing in an instant.
People came and went at the city gate, carrying loads, driving carts, and leading horses. Entering the light barrier was like entering another world.
Lan Fenghuang sat up straight, rested her hands on the window frame, and her eyes lit up.
Her eyelashes were trembling slightly, her lips were pursed, her breathing was faster than usual, and her chest heaved several times.
We have arrived in Nanzhao.
The place where she grew up.
The temple is located on a mountain north of the city, with white stone steps and a golden spire. Every evening, its bells toll three times, echoing throughout the entire city.