Faced with the mountainous pile of mushrooms in front of him, Jing Nian’s expression was somewhat numb.
Ga’erfu awkwardly scratched his face and spoke a bit clumsily, “Uh… I mentioned it, and then someone sent over a pile of them, but I still couldn’t find out the source of the mushrooms.”
Jing Nian, who had just recovered from the shock of room after room filled with mushrooms, quickly replied, “No, I should be the one to apologize for causing you so much trouble.”
“Hehe, not a bother at all,” Ga’erfu chuckled and continued, “Someone should be bringing more mushrooms later, and I’ll have them explain it to you.”
Jing Nian nodded, a hint of tears in his eyes. The quantity of mushrooms had exceeded his expectations, and he had confirmed that all of them had his pattern on them. This meant that these mushrooms were meant to find him!
Following Ga’erfu, Jing Nian arrived in the castle’s small garden. Along the way, he could tell that Ga’erfu had downplayed his own achievements in his letter. The so-called “big customer’s gift” was actually a massive castle. From Ga’erfu’s words, Jing Nian guessed that the “big customer” should be the lord of Lan City. He couldn’t help but find it amusing. It seemed that whether in the Interstellar World or the game world, offering real estate was a common way to retain high-end talent.
However, Ga’erfu’s social anxiety was still the same. In the entire castle, there was only one puppet servant…
Since the person who was delivering the mushrooms hadn’t arrived yet, Jing Nian accepted his friend’s warm invitation and sat with him in the small garden, enjoying the freshly brewed tea recommended by Ga’erfu. While chatting, Ga’erfu also mentioned his latest breakthrough in forging techniques, and he produced a massive sword that was almost twice as tall as himself.
To be precise, he had struggled to carry it out.
This dazzling golden sword, whether from its radiance, sharp blade, the imposing aura it exuded, or its majestic appearance, all indicated its extraordinary nature.
Jing Nian didn’t know why, but when he saw this sword, a strange sense of panic welled up within him. Then, Ga’erfu handed the precious sword to him.
At this moment, a series of upgrade notifications lit up on Jing Nian’s body, which only players could see, and his player interface displayed several prompts:
[Received a mysterious gift from friend Ga’erfu.]
[Congratulations on completing the adventure quest: Find the Divine Forger!]
[Received 100,000 experience points, level increased from lv25 to lv35.]
[Received: 10,000 gold coins, 5 Blood Crystal Stones…]
[Congratulations on obtaining the title: Divine Forger’s True Friend (Note: Unique), Title Talent: +50% favorability with Forgers!]
Once his level stabilized, Jing Nian finally finished scrolling through the refreshed quest list. He was somewhat astonished, but not because of the ten-level jump in his own level.
Just a while ago, after receiving his new body, Jing Nian’s original Divine-level title, “Dragon Speaker,” had evolved into “Dragon Lord.” At that time, the experience he gained had propelled him from level 12 to level 25.
What left Jing Nian truly astonished was that he finally saw the information about Ga’erfu’s sword.
【Name: Dragon Slayer Sword (Super Divine-level)
Attributes: Destiny, Permanent.
Note: Masterpiece of the Divine Forger Master Ga’erfu. As the name suggests, possessing this sword makes you a Dragon Slayer!
Hint: Is there anything more honorable in the world than becoming a Dragon Slayer? No! With this sword in hand, you can become the peak of the continent.】
Ga’erfu’s sturdy arms struggled to hold this massive sword, and he looked into Jing Nian’s eyes with a hidden yet concerned gaze.
Recognizing the familiar feeling brought by this sword, Jing Nian’s body stiffened slightly.
Wasn’t this the sword from the promotional poster, the one used to slay dragons!?
It was actually crafted by Ga’erfu?
He had never been able to reveal his true identity to Ga’erfu, which meant that Ga’erfu didn’t know he was a dragon.
Originally, he had planned to find the right moment to confess his identity to this innocent and trusting friend. However, because he had been sharing his body with the little dragon cub before, he had thought that when he could come out of the little dragon cub’s body, he would confess to Gao Erfu as a human.
But now, although he had come out of the little dragon cub’s body, he had become a dragon man.
Given the reputation that dragons had on the Grans continent, combined with the fact that Ga’erfu had to move because of dragons, Jing Nian had chosen to keep a low profile.
Compared to Ga’erfu, who had no friends, he didn’t want to let Ga’erfu down. If it weren’t for coming to this holographic world, Jing Nian couldn’t even count his friends with one hand.
He had never confessed his identity because he was afraid that this friend would distance himself because of his identity.
But now, facing Ga’erfu’s trusting and enthusiastic gaze, Jing Nian felt more and more guilty in his heart. He couldn’t continue to hide his identity from Ga’erfu.
He understood that this was ultimately a game world. In a sense, although Jing Nian had experienced the reality of these lives firsthand, to some extent, they were all driven by their nature, and this nature was more or less influenced by the game’s settings.
For example, dwarves had a strong aversion to dragons.
So, even though Jing Nian believed that this friend wouldn’t distance himself because of his identity, he wasn’t sure if the game’s settings would change that outcome.
When he used to meet Ga’erfu in the past, Jing Nian had always used the little dragon cub’s body, and he had covered his entire body with a black cloak. Ga’erfu had never probed too much into Jing Nian’s appearance and body. This time, under the encouragement of his dwarf friend’s caring gaze, Jing Nian pulled back his black cloak, revealing his golden hair and two dragon horns. His blue eyes met the bright eyes of his dwarf friend, and with newfound confidence, his small white hand slowly extended from under the black cloak.
Under Ga’erfu’s watchful gaze, Jing Nian’s small hand touched the back of the blade called the “Dragon Slayer Sword.” The moment he made contact, a formidable aura of slaughter rushed out from the blade, sending a shiver down his spine.
Jing Nian quickly withdrew his hand from the touch, but the intimidating aura from the sword remained, and he could even sense a hint of emotion from it, despite the distance.
Jing Nian’s expression became peculiar and awkward because the emotion he sensed from that aura was, perhaps, best described as mockery.
The sword seemed to mock Jing Nian for being timid.
What made Jing Nian even more uncomfortable was that his dwarf friend saw through everything with his piercing gaze.
In a moment of astonishment, Ga’erfu suddenly took Jing Nian’s hand and pressed it back onto the blade’s surface, then vigorously patted the blade of the “Dragon Slayer Sword.”
Something magical happened. The initially fierce and aggressive aura from the sword, after being patted by Ga’erfu and seemingly scolded, gradually receded. Then, an unexpected emotion was conveyed to Jing Nian again—jealousy.
This jealousy was incredibly tangible, and Jing Nian’s expression became even more peculiar. He couldn’t even find the words to explain his identity anymore.
It was as if this sword regarded Ga’erfu as its father, and the jealousy it expressed was akin to the bitterness one might feel when seeing their own parent praise another child.
Before coming here, Jing Nian had not carefully reviewed the background information of this game. He didn’t know if this game world’s setting included the concept of weapon spirits or sentient artifacts. However, since arriving on the Grans continent, he had never encountered such a weapon!
Even among the three giants of the Dragon Race, the Temple of Light, and the Temple of Undead, there was no one who possessed such a weapon!
It was truly a “Super Divine” weapon!
The “Dragon Slayer Sword”!
There might even be a sentient essence within it. But strangely, as Jing Nian realized where this sword’s destiny truly belonged, his heart began to race. If…
Coincidentally, Ga’erfu was watching Jing Nian, and his round, beady eyes carried a hint of encouragement, as if he sensed that Jing Nian was starting to understand something.
Jing Nian was moved by this look. He raised his hand and gently touched the blade, soothingly stroking its surface. The next moment, the sword’s attitude toward him underwent a dramatic transformation.
A faint sense of joy emanated from the blade, followed by the emergence of a youthful consciousness. It retracted its murderous intent, softened its hostility, and now regarded Jing Nian with curiosity, like an innocent and adorable child.
It even timidly touched Jing Nian’s fingertip for a moment before quickly retracting, displaying a bashful demeanor.
This is a living, sentient spirit within the sword!
Jing Nian looked at Ga’erfu in astonishment.
Seeing that Jing Nian had indeed made contact with the sword’s spirit, Ga’erfu breathed a sigh of relief. Then, he suddenly looked at the dragon horns on Jing Nian’s forehead and said with a smile, “As long as you can get along well, that’s all that matters.”
Jing Nian noticed where Ga’erfu’s gaze had landed and recalled his earlier expression. He suddenly realized that Ga’erfu seemed to have known his true identity all along but never revealed it, making him feel even more embarrassed.
He’s a simple young man, and the fact that he had been concealing things from his friend made him feel deeply ashamed. Now, he realized that his friend had known about his deception all along and had been forgiving.
Jing Nian blushed and looked at Ga’erfu with sincerity, saying, “I’m sorry.”
With Ga’erfu having known his true identity for a while, any further explanation would be redundant. It was better to offer a sincere apology.
“I was wrong to hide my identity, but I genuinely value our friendship. I hope you can forgive me, and I promise you, this will be the last time.”
As Jing Nian spoke, he gradually lowered his head, unable to meet Ga’erfu’s sincere and warm gaze.
After a while, the small garden fell into silence.
“Cough, cough…” After a moment, Ga’erfu cleared his throat and spoke seriously, “I thought I had told you that meeting you as a friend was my luck.”
Jing Nian raised his head.
In a gentle voice filled with gratitude and comfort, Ga’erfu continued, “Actually, if it weren’t for you, I wouldn’t be who I am today.”
“I haven’t told you this, but there’s another reason why I left the Dwarves.”
“I have a pair of eyes, Eyes of the Otherworld.”
Eyes of the Otherworld? Huh?
Jing Nian looked puzzled at Ga’erfu’s seemingly ordinary, slightly larger, and rounder eyes, without seeing anything unusual.
“At first, I thought I was a heretic,” Ga’erfu said, seeing Jing Nian scrutinizing his “Eyes of the Otherworld.” He leaned closer and blinked to show Jing Nian more closely.
Jing Nian still couldn’t discern any difference until Ga’erfu handed him the Dragon-Slaying Sword, then turned away.
After Ga’erfu left, the spirit of the Dragon-Slaying Sword suddenly transformed from a stern and authoritative figure into an exuberant and curious child, playfully approaching Jing Nian.
By the time Ga’erfu returned, the spirit of the sword was already engaging in playful antics with Jing Nian, who was finding it a bit challenging to keep up with the lively spirit.
However, as soon as it heard Ga’erfu’s footsteps, the spirit of the sword obediently behaved.
When Ga’erfu came back, he was holding a mushroom. He had just visited the storage room next to the small garden where the mushrooms were kept. Then, he slowly approached Jing Nian and looked around, as if searching for something. Not finding it, he dipped his hand into the water from the tea cup Jing Nian had been drinking from, and then drew a pattern on the stone table.
When Jing Nian saw the pattern Ga’erfu had drawn, his pupils shrank in disbelief, and he looked at Ga’erfu with astonishment.
“Is this something from the Otherworld?” Ga’erfu handed the mushroom to Jing Nian. “I noticed that others can’t see this pattern. Can you?”
Jing Nian nodded hesitantly and said, “So, you can also tell that I…”
Without waiting for Jing Nian to finish, Ga’erfu nodded firmly. “Yes, I could see you from our first meeting, and I could even see that young dragon.”
Jing Nian didn’t quite understand what Ga’erfu meant. He raised his beautiful blue eyes, filled with confusion: “…?”
Ga’erfu scratched his head and appeared slightly troubled. He scratched his ear and cheek, hesitating for a moment before continuing, “What I mean is, you and the young dragon are not…from this world.”
Jing Nian: !
Shock, combined with even greater confusion.
He could handle Ga’erfu knowing his true identity, but why did he say that the little dragon wasn’t from this world either?
Jing Nian had a vivid memory of how he and the little dragon had met. He had accidentally entered the little dragon’s dragon egg, and from the moment they met, he had been inseparable from the little dragon. No one knew better than him that the little dragon was undoubtedly a genuine dragon hatchling from this world.
However, Jing Nian trusted Ga’erfu and knew that he wouldn’t lie to him. There had to be something he didn’t know or a misunderstanding at play.
After thinking for a moment, Jing Nian asked, “Could it be because of my arrival…?” He wondered if his presence, like his aura, had somehow affected the little dragon. After all, he had entered the little dragon’s eggshell directly.
Before Jing Nian could finish, Ga’erfu vigorously shook his head.
“No,” he said.
“I don’t know the specifics,” Ga’erfu continued, looking up at the sky. “Even if I did, I wouldn’t be able to say. But I can be certain that neither you nor the young dragon are souls from this world.”
With a grave expression, Ga’erfu retrieved a special ring from his storage space. On the ring’s band, a delicate golden miniature dragon stood. He carefully took the heavy Dragon-Slaying Sword and raised it, touching the tip of the sword to the chest of the golden miniature dragon on the ring. In an instant, a blinding light emanated from both the Dragon-Slaying Sword and the golden miniature dragon.
Blinking, the enormous Dragon-Slaying Sword shrank down to the size of Jing Nian’s fingertip and inserted itself into the chest of the golden dragon on the ring. The majestic miniature dragon that had been standing on the ring now knelt, its posture resembling that of the dragons in the promotional poster for the “Dragon Slayer” game and the grown-up version of the little dragon.
Jing Nian stood there, utterly shocked, his scalp tingling.
It was the same scene he had seen before.
The ring lay in the palm of Ga’erfu’s broad hand, and the miniature dragons, whether standing or kneeling, were so lifelike that they were identical to what he had seen in the promotional poster for the “Dragon Slayer” game and the grown-up version of the little dragon.
How could Ga’erfu have seen and created something like this?
Jing Nian’s breathing quickened. He wanted to ask, but he didn’t know where to begin. As Ga’erfu had hinted earlier, he guessed that Ga’erfu, like him, knew about the game but was somehow restricted from speaking about game-related matters to “NPCs” within the game.
“Shh…” Ga’erfu gently touched the ring in his palm and then took out a special ring box. After closing the box, he lovingly stroked it as if he were caressing a child.
“Forging this sword was not my own will,” Ga’erfu continued in the midst of Jing Nian’s surprised gaze. He went on to say, “Once, I despised dragons. I even wished that dragons could disappear from the Grans Continent. My greatest desire in life was to create a weapon capable of killing dragons.”
In truth, Ga’erfu had such thoughts not only because of the dwarven bloodline’s hatred for dragons but also because dragons were the most powerful creatures on the Grans Continent. They had strong vitality and tough scales.
There wasn’t a master blacksmith in the world who didn’t dream of creating a weapon that could penetrate dragon scales and even slay dragons. It was the ultimate symbol of greatness in their craft.
This ultimate symbol had once been Ga’erfu’s aspiration as well.
However…
After Ga’erfu finished speaking, he looked at Jing Nian with an unusually serious expression. “From the moment I recognized you as my friend, I abandoned that idea.”
Although Jing Nian had hoped that his dwarf friend could let go of the hatred ingrained in his bloodline due to their friendship, hearing it firsthand and having his hopes realized deeply moved him. Then, Jing Nian noticed that Ga’erfu hadn’t finished his sentence.
Jing Nian’s gaze followed Ga’erfu’s hand to the ring box.
He thought he might understand why this Dragon-Slaying Sword, which wasn’t originally Ga’erfu’s intention, had appeared, possibly even better than Ga’erfu.
It was because of the game’s settings.
Ga’erfu handed the ring box to Jing Nian, and Jing Nian did not refuse the Dragon-Slaying Sword. The impact of the game’s settings and the game world had given him a heavy sense of bearing destiny, but at the same time, it was the first time in his life that he felt so reassured.
He believed that at this moment, by accepting the Dragon-Slaying Sword, he could change the original trajectory of the game world. Here, he had friends and family, and outside the game, his family and friends were on their way.
Meeting Ga’erfu’s gentle eyes, Jing Nian’s heart finally settled.
Ga’erfu was happy to see Jing Nian accept his gift this time. He wanted to tell Jing Nian something, a test of sorts, but unexpectedly, his words were not obstructed this time.
Ga’erfu told Jing Nian: “This ring is actually the scabbard of the Dragon-Slaying Sword. If one day, the Dragon-Slaying Sword is retrieved and no longer inserted into the chest of the golden miniature dragon, then destiny will be completely reversed.”
“You need to find a new owner for it.”
“Its name is Dawn.”
“Although he is not the child I expected, but…” Ga’erfu looked at Jing Nian.
Jing Nian held the box tightly and nodded, understanding Ga’erfu’s meaning. Every blacksmith regarded their creations as their children, especially when it was a creation with a true soul. For Ga’erfu, this sword was even more so.
As for why they needed to find a new owner for the Dragon-Slaying Sword?
When Jing Nian first saw this sword, he could feel the inherent hostility towards the Dragon Clan emanating from it. Therefore, the sword’s owner could not be a dragon.
So, who could be entrusted with it?
Suddenly, an inexplicably trustworthy figure appeared in Jing Nian’s mind.
