Chapter 49: Anvil

...

Nightfall.

Armory Peak, Elder’s Residence.

The surroundings were cluttered with raw ores and half-forged blades. Less a residence, more a workshop.

"Where is the Crucible?!"

"Where is the ancestral foundation of our peak?!"

Elder Silas paced frantically. He stared at the unconscious Theo snoring away on a cot.

The usually composed elder was utterly distraught.

"Stop pacing."

"You are driving me insane."

Vespera sat with one leg crossed over the other. She rested her chin on her palm.

"Tch. This assistant of mine, sleeping so soundly. He promised me roast lamb today."

"Food?! Is this the time for food?!"

Silas trembled with rage. Veins bulged on his forehead.

"That is an origin artifact! Our peak is built around it! If it is gone, I will have no face to meet the ancestors in the afterlife!"

If not for Vespera’s presence, he would have shaken Theo awake already.

"It was just gathering dust anyway, since no one could use it."

Vespera narrowed her eyes, annoyed.

"And lower your voice. Do you think I am deaf?"

Silas fell silent.

What sins did he commit in his past life to deal with this duo?

"Mmm. Huh?"

Just then, Theo, who had been asleep for most of the day, yawned and stirred.

Blinking groggily, the first thing he saw was Silas’s wrinkled face inches from his own. The elder’s eyes were bloodshot.

Theo nearly punched him in reflex.

"Elder Silas, why are you so close? You scared me."

"I scared you?! You nearly scared my soul out of my body!"

Silas laughed bitterly. He demanded:

"Speak! Where is the Crucible?"

"Ahem."

Vespera clenched her fist. She cleared her throat pointedly.

A reminder to watch his tone when speaking to her assistant.

Silas wanted to curse.

Theo stole the peak’s treasure, and Silas had to be polite about it?

But he knew losing his temper wouldn’t help. He suppressed his fury. He forced a gentler tone.

"Theo. When you went to the vault’s depths... did you see a large anvil?"

He gestured with his hands.

"About this big."

"I did."

Theo nodded cooperatively.

"Where is it now?!"

Silas’s voice sharpened.

"Gone."

Theo spread his hands.

"Gone?!"

Silas’s vision darkened.

Theo nodded again.

"When I reached the bottom, I saw the anvil you mentioned."

"I was curious. I touched it. And then it vanished."

"It seems... it got stored in my spatial artifact."

Theo omitted some details. He replaced "miniature world" with "spatial artifact."

Indeed, the eastern domains had storage items. They were collectively called spatial artifacts. For example, Vespera’s leather satchel was one such item.

Of course, they weren’t as common as in myths.

Involving the profound mysteries of spatial laws, only supreme experts could forge them from rare materials. Thus, spatial artifacts were exceedingly rare.

Apart from Vespera, none of the peak elders owned one. Only the Sect Master possessed one.

"Your inheritance is quite impressive."

Vespera’s eyes gleamed.

"Spatial artifact?!"

Silas stood frozen.

His confusion only grew.

How did Theo even approach the Crucible? How did he store it?

No spatial artifact could store something its owner couldn’t lift.

"Case closed, then."

Vespera rubbed her chin, reasoning:

"The Crucible must have acknowledged him as its master."

"Origin artifacts. Maybe they are weightless to their owners but immovable to others. Right?"

Theo blinked.

It sounded plausible.

But the Crucible of Genesis didn’t have that trait. It was heavy regardless of who held it.

Suddenly, Theo noticed Vespera subtly winking at him.

Understanding dawned.

"Yeah. It didn’t feel heavy to me at all."

"Can you take it out now?" Silas asked.

"As you can see."

Theo smiled wryly. He shook his head.

"Storing it drained me completely. I nearly blacked out. I won’t be able to retrieve it anytime soon."

Vespera said with a playful smile. "So, my assistant needs proper rest. If his spirit is harmed, who knows. He might never be able to retrieve it again."

The mentor and assistant played off each other perfectly.

"Acknowledged a master..."

Silas’s vague suspicion was confirmed. Yet he couldn’t help feeling his Dao heart tremble slightly.

The origin artifact of the Armory Peak, untouched since the founder’s time, had been claimed by someone from the Ninth Peak.

And by a mere Body Cleansing cultivator, no less.

His emotions were a tangled mess, but there was nothing he could do.

The founding ancestor had indeed left no records about this. Vespera’s explanation did sound plausible.

After all, the Crucible was no longer at the bottom of the vault.

Her reasoning was just coherent enough to pass.

Plausible or not, who could verify the truth? It all came down to her word alone.

After a moment of thought, Silas spoke again.

"In that case. Until he retrieves the artifact, he shall remain on the Armory Peak."