C78 Profound Heavy Gathering Silk Gloves

After unraveling the mystery of the Four-Word Sword Formula, Woo Zhengyang experienced a moment of clarity. He had always thought this formula was a sword skill, but now he understood it was a foundation. Every sword skill boils down to the basic moves of thrust, lift, spin, and slash. With this foundational knowledge, he could now execute a sword strike that seemed to pierce the heavens, enhancing the power of any sword skill he performed.

Having finally laid this groundwork, Woo Zhengyang was ready to train in sword skills. The only downside was that the techniques derived from the Four-Word Sword Formula couldn't be used simultaneously with the Dragon Countering Nine Steps—at least, not at his current level.

Without the oppressive force of the surrounding environment, Woo Zhengyang easily ascended the nine heavy stone steps, reaching the summit of Profound Heavy Mountain. After a brief moment of disorientation, the scenery shifted. The stone monument of the mountain remained, but Woo Zhengyang found himself in a vast, empty hall.

In the center of the hall stood a Light Door and a stone table, upon which rested a jade box. Approaching it, Woo Zhengyang saw a pair of black gloves lying quietly inside. As he gently picked up the gloves, a stream of information flowed into his mind.

He had completed the Profound Heavy Mountain trial, excelling in hand-to-hand combat. As the first to pass the trial using fists and feet, his reward was the Profound Heavy Gathering Silk Gloves.

The Profound Heavy Gathering Silk Gloves, crafted from refined Profound Heavy Stone and woven with Devouring Gold Silk, combine the stone's hardness with the silk's softness. Once worn, they feel weightless yet are incredibly durable. When infused with energy, they can harness and control the power of the Profound Heavy.

"Profound Heavy Gathering Silk Gloves?" Woo Zhengyang couldn't help but feel a sense of awe as he looked at the gloves in his hand, thin as a cicada's wing.

The information didn't specify the grade of the gloves, but as the first person to pass the trial using only his fist techniques, the gloves he received were undoubtedly the best available.

Being an ancient artifact, Woo Zhengyang couldn't determine the exact grade of these gloves. However, just knowing they were made from Profound Heavy Stone and the unheard-of Devouring Gold Silk suggested they were anything but ordinary. They were certainly not inferior to today's spiritual artifacts.

The grading of ancient artifacts differs from modern standards, but it's safe to say these gloves are of a higher grade.

The Profound Iron Number One Token was casually crafted by Xuan Tianshang using Profound Iron Stone, not even meant to be a true artifact, yet it rivals the top attack artifacts of ancient times.

The Profound Heavy Gathering Silk Gloves, made with materials superior to the Profound Iron Token, including the additional Devouring Gold Silk, and intentionally crafted as an artifact, clearly indicate their exceptional grade.

The phrase that caught Woo Zhengyang's attention was about channeling energy to unleash the Profound Heavy Power. This power, tied to the unique abilities of the Profound Heavy Stone, had been a source of many challenges for him. Now, the possibility of mastering it filled him with excitement.

Without hesitation, Zhengyang slipped on the Profound Heavy Gathering Silk Gloves. They felt as light as air. As he infused them with energy, he sensed the stone's power awakening. Remarkably, this power didn't affect him but promised to be a formidable weapon against adversaries.

Zhengyang also discovered that the flow of energy within the gloves could be entirely controlled by his will. The Profound Heavy Power could be harnessed or restrained at will, seamlessly integrating with his energy flow. This meant he could perform the Azure Cloud Embracing Moon Palm and his sword skills without any hindrance.

The most astonishing part was when he put the gloves on; they transformed from their original inky black to a clear, water-like appearance, adhering to his hands so perfectly that even he couldn't tell he was wearing them.

"Even the finest spiritual tools probably can't achieve this! Could it be that these are treasures beyond spiritual tools?" Zhengyang thought, feeling a surge of excitement as he marveled at the gloves on his hands.

Woo Zhengyang had never seen a weapon surpassing the spirit level, let alone a spirit weapon itself. The only one he had ever encountered was a low-grade spirit sword, the Phoenix Feather Sword, so he couldn't make a proper judgment. However, he was certain that the Profound Heavy Gathering Silk Gloves were a godsend for him.

At this point, Woo Zhengyang hadn't mastered any sword skills and still relied on hand-to-hand combat. Even with his strong physique, clashing directly with an opponent's weapon could lead to injury. With the gloves, he wouldn't have to worry, even when facing a spirit weapon.

Apart from the gloves, the hall was empty. The two sets of Profound Heaven Sect robes were already in tatters, so Woo Zhengyang casually changed into a new outfit and stepped through the light curtain.

"Whoosh..."

Before he could even see where he was, a spear was already thrusting toward his forehead. Instinctively tensing, Woo Zhengyang executed the Floating Light Step and struck out with his palm.

"Bang..."

The spear was deflected, whistling past his ear. His initial joy was quickly replaced by anger at the sudden attack. Dodging, he prepared to counterattack, but the figure in front of him retreated three steps after missing the strike.

"Not bad, not bad. Lee Kaiyuan's death wasn't in vain!" the man laughed.

Woo Zhengyang saw that it was a man dressed in purple, holding a silver spear.

The man in the purple robe didn't have any sect insignia, but from his mention of Lee Kaiyuan, Woo Zhengyang knew he must be from the Heavenly Martial Academy.

"People from Heavenly Martial Academy are all the same! At least Lee Kaiyuan had the guts to announce himself and fight openly, while you only dare to attack from the shadows," Woo Zhengyang sneered.

After realizing he had offended the Heavenly Martial Academy, Woo Zhengyang had prepared himself for their retaliation. However, he didn't expect them to be so shameless. Lee Kaiyuan at least teamed up with others, but this guy resorted to a sneak attack.

"Lee Kaiyuan? Just a nobody. As for my name, if you want to know, I'll tell you. I'm Zhou Muyuan, the fifth disciple of the outer academy of Heavenly Martial," the young man in the purple robe said calmly, not seeing anything wrong with his ambush.

From birth, Zhou Muyuan was taught to focus solely on results, not the process. He participated in the trials for the rewards, and even if Lee Kaiyuan were alive, Zhou Muyuan wouldn't hesitate to act if he knew Lee had something valuable.

Judging from the bodies of Lee Kaiyuan and his companions, Zhou Muyuan deduced that Woo Zhengyang hadn't left long ago. After killing the girl in the blue robe from the Azure Moon Sect, Zhou Muyuan pursued him to Profound Heavy Mountain.

Profound Heavy Mountain was a well-known location among the sects, with detailed information about the trials held there. After climbing the thirty-six steps and passing two tests, Zhou Muyuan didn't exert much effort to continue. Upon arriving, he realized no one else had been there yet, confirming that the person who killed Lee Kaiyuan was clueless and still foolishly participating in the trials.

Zhou Muyuan was thrilled; this saved him the trouble of chasing, so he decided to wait right there.