"Just now…" Fabredis stared at Gan Jin, sprawled amidst the wreckage, his mind replaying the final blow countless times.

It was strange, the way the attack had been delivered—utterly peculiar! Yet, Fabredis couldn't quite pinpoint what felt so off. The strike resembled a blacksmith hammering an anvil, but somehow conveyed something other than metalworking.

If a blacksmith could achieve that level of mastery, they would have long since become warriors. Fabredis understood clearly: warriors were individuals dedicated solely to the pursuit of maximizing destructive force.

But that last blow… Fabredis realized he hadn't been able to fully predict its trajectory, its landing point, or even its precise timing. Furthermore, he’d felt an inexplicable pull toward the impact itself.

Gan Jin braced himself with one hand against the debris-strewn ruin, slowly sitting up while gently rubbing the ache in his abdomen. He grinned through gritted teeth. "That punch was fast, hard, and accurate."

Fabredis’s old face flushed slightly. Such carelessness on his part, allowing Gan Jin to land a hit—it was genuinely unexpected.

"Huh?" The hand Gan Jin used to support himself on the wreckage brushed against something. He lifted his wrist, looking with surprise at the longsword now in his grip.

It was a battle sword, nearly two inches wide and three feet three inches long. It felt substantial, clearly a fine blade.

"A fine sword!" Gan Jin exclaimed in appreciation while examining the weapon. Then, his brows furrowed, revealing deep confusion. "With such a quality blade, why isn't the edge maintained? This edge renders the sword utterly powerless."

Hearing Gan Jin’s question, Fabredis momentarily forgot being struck. He slowly walked over and sat down amidst the ruins too, his fingers gently stroking the blade as if caressing a lover, his gaze soft as if looking upon the beloved of his lifetime. "This… this is a Dou Bing (Battle Weapon)."

"A Dou Bing?" Gan Jin looked again at the two characters etched on the sword: Tian Lu. "Its name is Tian Lu? Then it should definitely have its edge properly refined."

"Yes, Tian Lu," Fabredis took the sword back, continuing to smooth the length of the blade. "Perhaps you don’t know, but this sword is already a dead sword."

"A dead sword?"

"Exactly, a dead sword." Fabredis’s affirmation was laden with sorrow. "As a warrior apprentice, you should know that all weapons and equipment have a limited lifespan. This Tian Lu has… died."

Fabredis forced out the word ‘died,’ his expression growing heavier with melancholy. "Its edge has been polished countless times. Even my blacksmith friend can no longer hone an edge onto it. If we force it, the sword will shatter."

"The edge's lifespan is over?" Gan Jin snatched Tian Lu back from Fabredis’s hand, examining it from both sides, then let out a couple of weak laughs. "How could it reach the end of its life? It can clearly be revived again; it's not truly dead at all."

"Revived?" Fabredis clapped Gan Jin on the shoulder. "Young man, don't try to comfort me. Though you are also a blacksmith, if even my smithing friend can’t bring this sword back, how could you? Perhaps the Elders’ Chief of the Blacksmith Guild might possess the ability? But even if you beat me to death, I would never beg them!"

A blacksmith couldn't re-sharpen it? Gan Jin laughed weakly. Did Fabredis associate with an exceptionally incompetent blacksmith? How could they fail to restore the Tian Lu? This sword clearly had the potential to be resurrected more than once or twice—at least ten more times, by his reckoning.

"Enough, stop staring at it." Fabredis held out his hand, asking for the sword. "Since the smith declared it unrevivable, I have given up hope. Let it simply lie here quietly with me."

"The problem is…" Gan Jin tucked the sword into his embrace, speaking with difficulty. "This sword can indeed be revived. It is merely in a state of false death."

Fabredis reached out and grasped air. His arm paused momentarily, and he asked in disbelief, "What did you say? My blacksmith friend explicitly told me it could not be revived."

"Well…" Gan Jin scratched his head. "I don't know if your friend’s skill was lacking, or if he lied to you. But for me, this Tian Lu sword is alive, and clearly in its prime."

"You… you really can…" Fabredis's voice trembled uncontrollably. As a warrior, he had two lifelong companions: his wife and his equipment. The Tian Lu sword was his partner for life. He had always believed both of his 'wives' were dead. "You truly can make it…"

Gan Jin felt the pain in his abdomen subsiding. He slowly stood up and looked around. "Do you have a whetstone here?"

"Yes, yes, I do." Fabredis nodded repeatedly, the usual composure of the Guardian of Oakland City gone from his expression. He pointed toward the door. "Follow me."

Gan Jin carried Tian Lu and followed behind Fabredis, deeply understanding the Guardian of Oakland City. They were all warriors; their weapons were not just their wives, they were essentially their lives. The blow of losing a beloved sword was no less devastating than losing a spouse.

A whetstone! It was a massive stone block crafted from Flowing Cloud Stone. Gan Jin was slightly surprised to see the table-sized stone in the backyard. Whetstones varied in quality, and he had expected the most common type, yet this was Flowing Cloud Stone.

Weapon maintenance was a discipline taught to warriors. To ensure the best upkeep, the academy had provided detailed instruction on the tools required for maintenance.

Whetstones came in different grades. A superior stone could extend the lifespan of a weapon as it was being honed. Flowing Cloud Stone was one of the more renowned whetstones in the world.

If a blacksmith could bring a blade back to life seven times on an ordinary stone, using a Flowing Cloud Stone gave them the chance to revive it ten times!

Consequently, the price of whetstones varied wildly. A piece of Flowing Cloud Stone the size of a human head sometimes cost more than a fine weapon.

Seeing the table-sized Flowing Cloud Stone, Gan Jin wondered if Fabredis had stolen it. Otherwise, how much money must that have cost?

"Yes, it's Flowing Cloud Stone." Fabredis casually tapped the expensive stone, his face filled with defeat. "I thought that with this, my blacksmith friend could revive it. But the answer I received was that even if I found Sky Zenith Stone, Tian Lu could not be revived."

:Saying things day after day is quite meaningless, so I’ll say it again. This is the final week for the New Release List on Gaolou. A book’s initial launch period is crucial. Gaolou earnestly begs everyone to give me your Member Clicks and Recommendation Tickets. This time means a great deal to me! Thank you all! F