Master Fan directly took down the bow and arrow and handed it to him, saying, "You sure talk a lot. Why don't you handle the refining of this? You seem to have plenty of free time."

He continued, introducing Zhou You, "Come here, this rifle seems perfect for you, majestic and formidable in hand."

"Let's not choose that," Shao Qi intervened. "I remember Miss Han Xi dismissed it. She even tried to gift it but was rejected." Teasing Master Fan mercilessly, Shao Qi caused Master Fan to retort, "But I later crafted a fine rifle for her, and she was more than pleased!"

"Exactly, which means this one is subpar."

"Ignore him," Master Fan, pulling Zhou You forward, said, "Come on, you'll definitely love this. I recall you're a telekinetic. This set of steel needles, a hundred in total, each 30 cm long and 1 cm thick, is perfect. Ordinary thin needles don't harm mutant beasts much, but these thicker and sharper ones can. If you want, I can even coat them with poison. They'll be deadly on contact!"

Zhou You did appreciate such weapons: powerful, sneaky, and versatile. With these steel needles, his previous throwing knives could serve as backups.

But he had initially wanted a larger weapon; he still lacked a primary weapon to his liking.

Fearing Zhou You's disinterest, Master Fan astutely said, "If you like it, take it. If you fancy more than one item, feel free to choose."

Curiously, Zhou You inquired, "Master Fan, why are you being particularly generous to me?"

Master Fan snorted, "Who says I'm being especially generous? I just see potential in you. If you become famous wielding my creations, my reputation will grow as well. Of course, if you prefer to see it as a gift for my future daughter-in-law, that works too."

"Cough, cough!" Zhou You almost choked on his own saliva, shooting Shao Qi a glare. Their relationship had only been confirmed recently. Why was Shao Qi broadcasting it everywhere?

Shao Qi, hands crossed on his chest, looked as if it was all a matter of course, and commented disdainfully, "Such a gift is a bit modest, isn't it?"

"Just get out! Might as well gift him everything in here."

"That's an option."

Zhou You quickly interjected, "This set of steel needles is wonderful. I genuinely like them. Thank you, Master."

"Don't call me 'Master.' Address me as 'Teacher'," Master Fan corrected.

Chapter 152: The Gifted Sword

"What's this?" Zhou You approached a tall, slender cabinet with a glass door. Behind it, he saw a circular object hanging. It appeared peculiar yet captivating.

Master Fan boasted proudly, "Come, witness my latest creation. I initially intended it for the Flame Warriors, but due to limited materials, it's only this size."

He opened the glass door, taking out a circular ring with a diameter of about fifty centimeters. It looked light, but was surprisingly heavy.

"Look here, give it a twist..." Master Fan pressed a button with his thumb, and the ring separated into two curved blades. These blades were more curved than usual, making them seem less like weapons.

He handed the curved blades to Zhou You, "Give it a try. I crafted these based on an ancient book's blueprints. They've not been tested yet."

"Can these kill?" Others, hearing of the new weapon, crowded around. Everyone had chosen their preferred weapons, except Miao Miu who was waiting for Master Fan to custom-make a whip for her.

"The blade of this curved knife is on the outer ring. It's unusual, but considering its curvature, it does make sense."

"Looks like a sickle. Did Master Fan get inspired by an agricultural book?" Zhuo Hao joked.

Speaking of the book, Master Fan opened a safe and handed an ancient tome to Zhou You. "This is the very book. I modified the design from its last page. It also contains a dual-blade technique; I'll give that to you as well."

Zhou You hadn't yet decided on the blades but driven by curiosity, he read the technique. After memorizing the moves, he practiced in the courtyard. His first try was a bit clumsy, but by the third attempt, powered by his internal energy, the technique seemed to shine brightly. The moves were intricate, fierce, and most importantly, the dual-blades could fend off any attack seamlessly.

Shao Qi playfully pushed Cheng Suyan in front of Zhou You, "Try sparring with Cheng, the young master of Wan Jian Sect. Their swordsmanship is famed for its speed. Let's see which is faster, your blade or his sword."

"Brother Cheng, please instruct me." Zhou You gripped the blades and signaled the start with a stance.

Cheng Suyan confidently responded, "Alright, let's test my new sword."

The Wan Jian Sect's claim to the best swordsmanship relied on speed. Paired with internal power, their moves were formidable.

Zhou You and Cheng Suyan had dueled before, so Zhou was familiar with his techniques. Moreover, these unique blades had hook-like tips which ensnared Cheng's sword, rendering even his best moves ineffective.

As the match progressed, Cheng struggled more and found it frustrating. It felt as if the blades were tailor-made to counter his sword. One wondered if Master Fan had visualized this match while crafting the weapon.

"Enough, I concede." Cheng, held in a grip by Zhou You, tried to twist free after admitting defeat. But Zhou deftly disarmed him, sending his sword flying.

Without their swords, the disciples of the Wan Jian Sect were like toothless tigers. The match had a foregone conclusion.

At this point, Zhuo Hao stepped forward, "Let me have a go." Wielding a broadsword, his weapon appeared massive compared to the delicate, nimble blades. Yet, Zhou You's agility made it difficult for Zhuo to get close without getting nicked. Eventually, Zhuo admitted defeat, fearing he'd end up without any clothes left.