Chapter Forty-Nine: Striking the Divine Shield with the Divine Spear
Lu Hu pulled a long face and scolded, “You two little rascals…! What am I supposed to do with you? Like two fighting cocks, at each other’s throats the moment you disagree. Can you not just get along and play together?”
“This is the last time. If I ever catch you two bickering again, you’re both out—your employment contract will be terminated on the spot.”
“Divine Lord, we promise we won’t fight again. Um, Divine Lord, what’s an employment contract?”
“Even if I explained, you wouldn’t understand. Out you go—kneel outside and reflect on your actions.”
“Yes, Divine Lord, we’re going out to kneel.”
“Divine Lord, what are we supposed to do while kneeling?”
“Reflect on your actions.”
“Reflect on what?”
“Reflect on your actions.”
“What are we supposed to wake up to?”
“Out, out, out! Immediately! Don’t come back in without my permission. Guard the gate—don’t let anyone in.” Lu Hu knew they had no idea what reflection meant, and couldn’t be bothered to explain further, so he simply chased them out.
He unstrapped the electric baton from his right arm and began to study it closely.
He’d never paid it much attention before, but after using it to strike Tongtian Wu, he sensed there was more to the baton than met the eye.
No wonder it was so heavy—he’d handled a friend’s baton in his past life, and that had been very light.
What trick is hidden inside…?
He turned it over and over in his hands, pondering for a long while. Then Lu Hu slid the switch between the first and second settings and pressed hard.
With a swift sound, the baton suddenly extended—a full two meters in length. The tip was a slender cone, sharp as a needle.
The shaft was made of eight segments, each slightly thinner and shorter than the last. Each segment must be hollow, or it couldn’t retract.
But what was it made of? Was it sturdy?
Lu Hu gripped it with both hands and bent it gently. It felt very tough.
He tried harder—it was extremely solid.
It was dark and featureless; impossible to tell the material, but surely anything forged as a weapon must be immensely strong.
This must be a spear, designed for thrusting, forged from some special material. The craftsmanship was so advanced that no craftsman would build a fake to fool himself.
Let’s test it. And if it’s a fake, I’ll accept it…
Lu Hu leveled the spear, swung it a few times, then lunged at the birch pillar in the center of the tent.
With a thud, the spear pierced the wood, sinking through a segment and a half.
He twisted the shaft—cracks began to spread through the birch.
With a final wrench, he pulled the spear free.
The spear was completely unharmed.
A fine weapon!
Lu Hu pushed the switch back to where it was before and pressed down. The spear didn’t retract.
He tried moving the switch between the second and third settings and pressed again. Instantly, the spear collapsed, segment by segment, back into the form of an electric baton.
Very good—excellent—this baton is amazing!
But could it still emit electricity when extended?
Lu Hu pressed the button and the baton extended into a spear once more.
He placed the tip against the pillar and set it to the first gear.
A crackling blue corona of sparks danced around the spearhead.
The birch wood a foot around the tip began to blacken, the smell of burning wafted up.
Lu Hu shifted to the second gear.
With a bang, a burst of fire erupted from the tip. The birch caught fire…
He quickly retracted the spear and fetched a bucket of water from the corner to douse the flames.
No need to try the third gear—a higher setting might shatter the pillar, or even cause an explosion.
What a weapon—divine arms in hand, everything is possible.
If anyone opposes me in the future, I’ll meet them on the battlefield, baton in hand, sparks flying all the way.
Time to recharge—if the divine weapon runs out of power, my own might will surely be diminished…
“Lingding Xiaowu, fetch me my treasure!” Lu Hu called out in tiger-speak.
He had left the backpack, which held the charging block, next to Lingding Xiaowu. The tigress’s job was to guard the back door, nurse her cubs, and watch the backpack.
Lingding Xiaowu dug the bag out from a pile of odds and ends by the back door, picked it up in her jaws, and trotted over.
Even while guarding the Divine One’s treasure, she wasn’t at ease—she’d hidden the pack in the odds and ends, a double safeguard. Not even a god would guess it was hidden there.
Lu Hu took the pack and patted her head in praise. “Xiaowu is a good bag-guarding tiger.”
Praised by the Divine One, Lingding Xiaowu’s face creased with happiness, her features bunching up like a wrinkly dog’s as she trotted back, tail high, to nurse her cubs.
Oh, how beautiful life is for a tiger admired by the Tiger God!
Lu Hu took out the charging panel, unfolded it, and knocked it with his knuckles—it was remarkably hard, not made of polysilicon, though it looked the part.
Why were there two handles on the back?
He puzzled it over for a while and finally understood—it could be used as a shield. Slide your forearm through one handle and grasp the other, and you could hold it steady as a proper shield.
Did he have it right? Only one way to find out.
Lu Hu gripped the shield and slammed it down on the table.
The table was made from two finger-widths of sturdy pine.
With a clang, the shield remained unscathed.
A divine shield, perhaps?
How would the Divine Spear fare against the Divine Shield?
Lu Hu set the shield by the table, transformed the baton into a spear, and thrust hard.
The moment of truth!
A crisp ring sounded—the tip struck the charging panel, scattering dazzling sparks.
The spear was still the spear, the shield still the shield. Apart from the spray of sparks, neither was damaged in the slightest.
Good heavens, what a treasure! With this divine arsenal in hand, who in all the world could stand as my equal?
Lu Hu pressed the button, transforming the spear back into a baton, and slotted it into its sheath on his right arm.
He picked up the charging panel, humming a tune, and stepped out the back of the tent.
With a leap, he vaulted onto the tent’s roof and set the panel to soak up the light and recharge.
As he steadied the charging panel, he was about to jump down when he noticed a large crowd kneeling below.
Soldiers from both the Changli and Xilot armies, hands clasped and heads bowed, murmured prayers with utmost reverence.
Are you all performing a heaven-and-earth worship here?
No, that’s not it, Lu Hu suddenly realized—they were worshipping him.
A current of true energy surged through his limbs and bones. Only then did he recall that, during his demonstration with the baton, he had absorbed a great deal more of that energy.
No wonder he’d scaled the tent as if it were nothing—his power was growing, though he hadn’t noticed. The soldiers, though, had seen, and were awed beyond words.
Excellent—now is the perfect moment to display my divinity. If not now, when? If I don’t put on a show, I’d be letting everyone down—including myself…
Lu Hu folded his hands behind his back and stood tall, letting the early winter wind billow his robes while countless men below gazed up in admiration.
The wind was strong—better not let the sand blow into my eyes.
It’d be a bit embarrassing if my dramatic display ended with tears streaming down my face.
Just as Lu Hu was closing his eyes, basking in the wind and his own grandeur, a shrill cry suddenly pierced the sky…