Chapter 122: The Coin Sword, the Thunder God’s Roar, and the Endless Debt of Gratitude

Whoosh!

Across the vast East Sea, a majestic fleet composed of over a dozen massive warships, each rated at five hundred "liao" or more, sailed northeast toward the Sixty-Six Kingdoms of Yingzhou.

The flagship at the center of the formation was a colossal five-masted "Sealed Ship," specifically designed for official diplomatic missions to tributary states. It measured 47 meters in length, 12 meters in width, and had a hold depth of 16.5 meters with a draft of 4 meters. Even without its five towering masts, the ship stood 12.5 meters above the waterline, resembling a small mountain upon the sea. This was the vessel of the Imperial Envoy, Luo Wenlong, a Secretary of the Secretariat.

Wang Cheng, as part of the entourage, was naturally on this fleet, residing aboard this very flagship.

Although there had been a slight mishap during the initial trial at the training grounds, the reputation of "Wang Fugui"—who had swept aside five seventh-rank officials in one fell swoop—had spread throughout every garrison in the Min Province. Ignoring his true age and considering only the age of his alias "Wang Fugui," a sixth-rank official not yet twenty was already an exceptional talent. Among the younger generation of hereditary officers in the garrisons, he was truly a rare gem. Furthermore, the fact that he had only begun his practice of the Divine Path after apprenticing with a senior hall official at the end of last year left the generals and officers in utter awe.

Many had even jokingly bestowed upon him titles such as "The Second Greatest Genius of the Twenty-Four Garrisons" and "The One Who Startles Ghosts and Gods." It seemed quite fitting, as his talent was purportedly only second to "The One Who Envies Ghosts and Gods."

Wang Cheng, however, liked to think: "Where in this world are there any geniuses? I simply used the time others spent drinking tea to cling to Sister Axiao’s thighs. Therefore, I am neither the one envied by ghosts and gods, nor the one who startles them—I am the one they love!"

Talented people always enjoyed privileges. On this flagship, Wang Cheng had servants and a private cabin; he could even go out to fish when bored. His living conditions were far superior to those of the ordinary sailors.

The float in the water trembled, and the fishing line suddenly went taut. Standing at the edge of the deck, Wang Cheng braced his waist and stance. Without needing to invoke his "Soft-Shelled Turtle Body" technique, he used a deft flick of his wrist to pull a large, ugly fish—a patchwork of black, white, and green—out of the sea.

*Hee-haw!*

The giant fish struggled violently in the air, emitting a loud, horse-like whinny. Most bizarrely, it possessed a long, hideous horse face. A fish this ugly was indeed a rarity.

The busy sailors on the nearby ships cast envious glances his way. Those with a keen eye could tell that this was a "Hundred-Thousand Sea Treasure," a specimen combining the physical traits of both terrestrial and marine creatures!

[Rare Commodity: Hundred-Thousand Sea Treasure · Horse-Faced Filefish]
[Value: 280 Incense Dharma Coins]
[Taboo: After consuming its meat, for one day, you will only be able to speak two phrases: "Wealth at First Sight" and "Peace Under Heaven." Eating a peach can dispel this effect.]
[Beyond its ability to nourish the essence and energy, if one collects its bony horse-face, grinds it into powder, and consumes ten such portions, one can acquire the unique skill: "Ghost-Frightening." A single glance can deter various low-level ghosts and monsters, though one might accidentally scare a living person to death.]

Wang Cheng weighed the large fish in his hand with satisfaction. "I no longer need to use 'Gazing at Qi' to locate these Hundred-Thousand Sea Treasures. As long as I release a trace of Flood Dragon Qi and use the combined abilities of a White-Water Man and a Consignment Official, I can make them take the bait willingly. I have another offering for my sword practice today. Not bad, not bad."

Following the tradition of a dedicated fisherman, he carried the fish around the deck of the Sealed Ship before heading back to his cabin. A voice of admiration rang out from above:

"Master Wang, your fishing skill is truly remarkable. To catch a Hundred-Thousand Sea Treasure every single day since we boarded is impressive. I have seen many White-Water Men in my time, but none can compare to you. You are truly worthy of the name 'The One Who Startles Ghosts and Gods'."

Wang Cheng looked up. Standing behind a window on the third floor of the ship’s tower was a scholar in his early thirties, exuding an air of elegance. Dressed in blue robes and holding a yellowed scroll, he cupped his hands in a salute with a smile.

"So it is Vice Envoy Jiang. You are too kind. It is but a minor trick, hardly worth mentioning compared to the grand path of a 'Confucian Scholar' like yourself."

Having no interest in chatting with this "enemy," Wang Cheng returned the salute and retreated to his cabin. After breaking through to the sixth rank, his "Brain-Eye" could cover both five-masted Sealed Ships with ease. Wherever his senses reached, his "Rare Commodities" ability took effect. From the very first day of the voyage, he had held the general information of everyone on the ship in the palm of his hand.

[Jiang Zimin, Vice Envoy of the mission, disciple of Grand Secretary Xu, a rising star of the 'Pure Stream' faction.]

Though they were far away in the East Sea, the white-hot political struggle at the heart of the Great Zhao Dynasty had already reached them. The conflict between Grand Secretary Yan, who supported Governor Hu Ruzhen’s policy of appeasing pirates and limited maritime trade, and Grand Secretary Xu’s "Pure Stream" faction, which demanded strict enforcement of the maritime ban, was sharp and uncompromising. The mission’s Chief Envoy belonged to the Yan faction, while the Vice Envoy belonged to the Xu faction; the court’s infighting was now out in the open.

Jiang Zimin watched Wang Cheng’s retreating back, his eyes narrowing slightly. "The Yan scoundrel is old. By next year at the latest, the struggle for the position of Senior Grand Secretary will be decided. Before the Cabinet Scholars, whether it is the second-rank regional official Hu Ruzhen, the world’s strongest water-gatherer Wang Cheng, or that Yan-faction lackey Luo Wenlong, or even the fifth-rank commander Wang Fugui, they are all merely pawns crossing the river. The previous [Dragon Seed] of the Han clan who stirred up the Min Province only succeeded because he understood the rules and leveraged the momentum of the factional struggle. You people will be crushed to dust by the mere aftershocks of the masters' conflict. Moreover, with that secret regarding the Black Qilin, Mao Haifeng, none of you are making it back. This maritime ban will absolutely not be lifted! The Pure Stream has spoken; even if the Master of the Nation himself arrives, he cannot stop us."

Back in his cabin, Wang Cheng curled his lip. "As long as they can destroy their opponents, they don't care about sacrificing the nation's interests. Once factional infighting begins, the signs of a dynasty’s end are already clear. Who knows how much longer the Mandate of Heaven stolen by the Han clan from the Zhu clan can last? It certainly won't continue for sixteen emperors. I wonder if that great reformer, who was skilled at governing the nation but clumsy at protecting himself—the one who could turn the tide and extend the nation's life by sixty years—will ever have the chance to step onto the stage of history."

However, Wang Cheng had no intention of involving himself in the brutal political struggle. After all, neither the Emperor nor the factions currently fighting were good people; whoever died was worth cheering about.

He sat cross-legged on his bed, his consciousness sinking into the eye of the Four Seas Currency. Before the vault of this small world, he had already set up a "Golden Toad Treasure Gathering Altar." He offered a deer lung, a bone-black chicken, the freshly caught Horse-Faced Filefish, forty-nine paper horses, seven lamps, seven vases of flowers, seven basins of steamed buns, seven basins of fruits, one tael and two mace of sandalwood, and six taels of cloud incense.

Days before departure, Zhang Wen had handed him the sword blank forged from the "Essence of Five Metals," and he had begun the refining process that same day. The blank was forged in one piece, following the standard specifications for a flying sword—two feet and four inches long, corresponding to the twenty-four solar terms—and was encased in a purple sandalwood box. After six days of ritual refinement, the blank had turned a searing white, radiating a piercing, sharp golden glow that made one’s eyes water just to look at it.

The first stage of refining the [Five Emperors' Golden Coin Sword] required seven days, and today was the final day. Wang Cheng arranged the final batch of "Five Emperors' Coins" according to the Five Elements and performed breathing exercises before the altar.

*Chirp, chirp, chirp.*

White light flowed in and out of his mouth and nose, and a brilliant, agile sword light rose from the blade, leaping like a fish and swirling through the offerings and the coins.

Copper coin-like patterns, as if hammered into the metal, naturally emerged on the surface of the blade, running along the spine from hilt to tip.

Who knows how much time had passed.

*Clang—!*

With a clear, resonant ring, the sword light on the altar flared brilliantly. The Five Emperors' Golden Coin Sword in the box sprang up automatically, transforming into a streak of white-gold light that circled Wang Cheng, the air tearing with every pass.

Wang Cheng raised his hand, and the light fell into his grasp, transforming back into a peerlessly sharp divine sword. He did not need "Rare Commodities" to understand; through a natural mental connection, he instantly grasped the many miraculous powers of this treasure.

"[Five Emperors' Golden Coin Sword]: Cast from coins into a sword, it is born with the power to command ghosts and communicate with gods! It hooks into the greatest desire of the mortal world—money—and possesses three wonders."

"First, [Hundred-Pace Flying Sword]: The basic ability of all flying swords. At the Middle Three Ranks, it can fly up to one hundred paces, turning into a long rainbow to decapitate an enemy. It can also be used to protect the body or glide along the ground. Only when one reaches the Upper Three Ranks and controls the sword with the spirit can a master potentially ascend into the blue void and travel a hundred miles in a single flight."

"Second, [Golden Coin Sword Qi]: Every Incense Dharma Coin can be transformed into a sharp golden coin sword-qi. In 'Rare Commodities,' regardless of a target's value, as long as one is willing to consume three times the cost in Incense Dharma Coins, one can break through any defense! The higher the sword's rank, the lower the consumption. With the background of the number one weapon on the list, this is truly 'one form of wealth overcoming ten techniques'."

The first two skills were normal enough. But when Wang Cheng saw the third, he felt his neck tighten, as if a noose hanging from a lamppost were slowly pulling shut.

"Third, [Grace Loan / Thunder God’s Strike]: There is a conventional method for calculating interest on usury, known as 'nine out, thirteen in,' equivalent to a monthly interest rate of approximately 44.44%. Under such predatory interest, countless people are ruined. In their hatred, they curse the money lenders to be struck by lightning, which is why it is colloquially known as 'Thunder God’s Strike.' This skill originates from the gold coins of the first 'Sun That Never Sets' empire, the East Frangis. Holding this sword, you are the sun of the mortal world! By touching the sword tip to someone's shoulders—completing a ceremony akin to a Western king knighting a subject—you can lend your 'grace' to them, including but not limited to: spiritual light, cultivation, unique skills, exotic arts, dharma coins, power, and other tangible or intangible objects. The other party must repay the loan monthly according to 'nine out, thirteen in' or another interest rate agreed upon with the sword master. If they die mid-term, everything of value they possess is seized as priority settlement. If that is not enough, their legal and blood heirs must bear the burden and continue repayment. Once the 'Grace Loan' is obtained, one is effectively enslaved for a lifetime; parents, children, and grandchildren, the debt will never be repaid. The more you lend, the faster you grow strong."

Note: The more loans completed and the more coins from the Five Great Empires absorbed, the stronger the Five Emperors' Golden Coin Sword becomes, with the potential to unlock the exclusive abilities of all five empires sequentially. Infinite potential.

Taboo: One can only grant loans to those weaker than oneself. Granting a loan to a superior is not 'grace.' The stronger the divine sword and the larger the loan, the higher the probability of being struck by lightning!