Chapter 239 Chapter237-Secrets
"The relate to the Heart of the City? Oh, it runs so deep," Victor replied with a grin.
He once again divulged some ancient secrets, saying, "The division of different kingdoms isn't just a whimsical decision made by those people; there is a genuine distinction between them."
"Consider the Azure Empire. If it wishes to ascend further, it must claim more vast territories. But even then, it's not enough."
"These formidable realms possess not only potent weaponry and legions of powerful soldiers but most critically, they are all anchored by the Heart of the Empire."
At the mention of this term, Ethan's interest piqued. "Heart of the Empire? It sounds quite similar to the Heart of the City."
"Indeed," Victor affirmed, "The Heart of the Empire is an evolution of the Heart of the City."
"Every empire starts from a single city. If a city can endure countless hardships and still stand, it has the potential to give birth to the Heart of the City. The Heart of the City can materialize various information of the city, making it easier for the city's ruler to manage."
"Most importantly, with the Heart of the City, the city becomes indestructible. You could raze its walls to the ground and shatter its buildings to pieces, but as long as the Heart of the City remains, the city will inevitably rise again."
"And now, Dark Lord City possesses the Heart of the City."
Victor was still inwardly reeling from astonishment.
Throughout his many travails, he had confronted the grand deities and witnessed the ferocious beasts that had wreaked havoc on countless souls.
Yet none of these ever evoked such a sense of wonder in him, for he firmly believed that even deities could be surpassed by mortals, and the most fearsome of beasts would ultimately meet their end.
But a divine artifact like the Heart of the City was exceptionally rare. Victor had never imagined that he would witness the Heart of the City in his lifetime.
Historical accounts indicate that in the ancient times, though there were over a billion cities, only two had ever birthed a Heart of the City and successfully evolved it into the Heart of the Empire.
Now, traces of those two empires have vanished from the annals of time.
Yet, piecing together fragments from history, Victor discerned a secret.
It was highly likely that these two empires still endured, nestled somewhere among the stars above.
However, he kept this revelation to himself, as it was merely a conjecture now.
At that moment, Victor began to grasp Ethan's intentions. "Lord Ethan, are you planning to have the Azure Empire aid us in the city's development?"
Before Victor could even finish, Ethan responded, "Victor, you indeed have a sharp mind. Since you understand the significance of the Heart of the City, you know that I will always be the true master of Dark Lord City. However, building a city requires vast resources. Beyond resources, the most critical element is the population."
"Dark Lord City is under the domain of the Dark Lord faction, making it nearly impossible for humans to set foot within."
"To be frank, expecting those Dark Lords to build a city is such a pure fantasy."
"So, we need someone's help."
"And who could be more eager to assist than an enemy?"
Victor instantly comprehended Ethan's scheme.
It was a stratagem, an offer which let Lana Mokos couldn't resist.
Much of Dark Lord City's infrastructure was already in place.
Following the current blueprint would yield a formidable city - an offer few could decline, especially not Lana Mokos.
Ever since learning of her existence, Ethan grew curious about Lana Mokos.
He had heard stories of her from various sources - a brilliant heir of the Azure Empire, unparalleled in various arts.
However, her prodigious talent fostered an arrogance where she looked down upon all, unless someone could defeat her head-on.
Alas, no one ever had.
Thus, Ethan wasn't worried about Lana Mokos seeing through his plans.
Breaking conventional wisdom, no one would laboriously build a city only to gift it away in the end. It was utterly illogical!
Yet, with the Heart of the City, it became entirely plausible.
Leveraging others' strengths to cultivate one's own domain was undeniably a brilliant strategy.
Learning of Ethan's plan, Victor felt utterly reassured, even pondering how to enact their eventual 'defeat' to appear more organic and tragically poignant.
Meanwhile, at Henry Powell's Blacksmith's Shop.
Given Henry Powell's towering stature, the shop itself was exceptionally spacious.
Although the shop wasn't officially open for business, heat was already radiating from within, raising the ambient temperature to an almost unbearable degree.
Yet for Henry Powell, this was a delight.
In his hand, he gripped a large hammer, striking it repeatedly onto a lance, producing a rhythmic clinking sound.
To him, it was the most melodious sound in the world, lifting his spirits immensely.
"Just a bit more," Henry Powell murmured, delivering another blow to the weapon.
Sparks flew, yet the spear appeared unchanged.
He struck again, dozens of times in rapid succession, before finally pausing.
Staring intently at the spear resting on the forging table, he mused aloud, "Still not right, huh? Even crafting the mere form of a divine artifact proves challenging, let alone integrating another divine artifact's Raw Form into it."
The Blasphemous Spear, even its name suggests it's undeniably a weapon of unparalleled might.
And indeed, it was such a divine artifact.
According to Henry Powell's calculations, this weapon could potentially slay a deity.
Yet, at the moment, he found it elusive to forge.
Although the presence of the Raw Form from Sano's longsword—a divine artifact—had substantially reduced the required materials and steps for crafting, the task remained incredibly daunting.
The weight of the challenge bore heavily on Henry Powell.
Is forging a divine artifact truly this challenging even for a master craftsman like him?
"It seems that I will have to resort to another method..." Henry Powell muttered, so engrossed in his task that he failed to notice Ethan's arrival.
"What method?"
When Ethan appeared, Henry Powell was taken aback, momentarily startled.
Then he quickly explained, "Ethan, I apologize with this, but with my current capabilities, I cannot forge this spear. However, there is a method that might allow its creation. It will take significantly longer time, but the result will enhance the weapon's potency."
"Go on," Ethan prompted.
Henry Powell began to elaborate, "Typically, divine artifacts are exclusive weapons to deities. So it seems that only deities could forge the divine artifacts. However, under certain circumstances, some weapons can ascend on their own to become divine artifacts. These weapons are termed 'evolvable divine artifacts'."
"Compared to the forge process of divine artifacts, evolvable divine artifacts requires a vast amount of resources. "
"Yet, during the evolution, the divine artifact can gain additional enhancements."
After Henry Powell finished, Ethan fell into deep contemplation.
Given Ethan's current strength, scarcely anyone could force him to draw a weapon, unless they themselves were a deity.
Yet, Ethan had never truly encountered such a deity.
Thus, he directly addressed Henry Powell, "Henry, forge it as you see fit."
"Understood." With Ethan's approval, Henry Powell began the process immediately.
In no time at all, the Blasphemous Spear was forged.
As Ethan took it in his hands, he sensed its distinct nature.
The weapon seemed alive, no longer a mere cold tool.
Henry Powell elucidated, "This is the characteristic of an evolvable divine artifact. They possess an exceedingly faint consciousness, enabling them to instinctively sense required resources and proactively absorb them for the growth."
"Furthermore, upon reaching their zenith, they can even transform into a true sentient being."
Henry Powell's exposition broadened Ethan's horizons.
However, a familiar sensation soon prickled at his awareness, prompting him to ask, "Is there a Life Alchemy Magic Circle?"
The Life Alchemy Magic Circle is a high-order Magic Circle in Alchemy.
Its specific effect is to imbue an object with a weak consciousness.
In simpler terms, it breathes life into inanimate objects.
Yet, often, nefarious alchemists would apply it to recently deceased bodies.
"Exactly, that's the one," Henry Powell confirmed.
Forging and Alchemy have always shared profound ties. Across numerous realms of Forging, one can discern the philosophies of Alchemy.
In fact, it's not only in Forging.
Shadows of Alchemy can be found, to varying degrees, in numerous other crafts.
Having acquired the weapon, Ethan didn't linger long in the Blacksmith's Shop.
Upon leaving, he departed Dark Lord City, making his way to a nearby valley.
He intended to test the weapon's capabilities.
Regrettably, this trial didn't yield much insight.
Though the Blasphemous Spear wasn't a divine artifact, the materials used in its forging were of such a high caliber that ordinary monsters stood no chance against it.
Merely coming into contact with the weapon, these creatures had their lives reaped.
After felling dozens of these monsters, Ethan lost interest in further testing.
It was then that he sensed something amiss.
Visit freewe𝑏(n)ovel.co(m) for the b𝘦st novel reading experience