492: Two magical artifacts

As it turned out, before Ma Sanqiang could even answer, Niu Mengmeng rushed forward to hug Shang Wan Ning's leg, acting spoiled.

"Wuwu, Your Majesty, Mengmeng has missed you so much!"

Her two-meter-twenty sturdy frame crouched down, rubbing her head against Shang Wan Ning's knees.

She looked up with that pretty face, her round eyes blinking, long eyelashes fluttering.

The contrast was simply too great.

Seeing Niu Mengmeng's appearance, Shang Wan Ning was somewhat amused.

She calmly swatted away her hand, "Alright, I know what you want. Take this trick back and use it on your girlfriend!"

"You must have missed her after not seeing her for several years."

Niu Mengmeng didn't get annoyed at having her hand swatted away and just stayed crouched there, chuckling.

The muscles in her shoulders stretched her tight outfit, yet her smile was as innocent as a girl next door.

"Your Majesty is wise."

Ma Sanqiang stood behind, the crimson glow beneath his horse-head mask steady.

He had always been a man of few words; at this moment, he merely bowed his head slightly as a salute.

Shang Wan Ning observed the two of them.

Their presence was deep and steady, their spiritual energy circulating smoothly; their cultivation at the early stage of the Seventh Rank was firmly established.

After several years of seclusion, this result was worth the hardships they had endured.

"Your foundation is well-built after this breakthrough."

She put down the jade slip and leaned back into her chair, "In the Ghost Realm, Yin Shu has long been looking forward to your return."

"He has been monitoring the progress of the Yin Soldier training alone and keeps saying he is short of manpower."

Niu Mengmeng nodded, "This Subordinate will certainly do my best."

Ma Sanqiang replied in a muffled voice, "The spear should have been sharpened long ago."

After several years in seclusion, those brats in the Ghost Realm were probably slacking off again.

A cold glint flickered in his palm, revealing an introverted aura of malevolence.

Shang Wan Ning smiled.

"What's the rush? You've just come out of seclusion, rest first."

She tapped her fingertips on the desk, "I'll give you a month's leave. Spend time with your partners, make adjustments."

"After a month, go to the Ghost Realm and take over the operation of the nine nether annihilation pagoda."

Niu Mengmeng's eyes lit up, "Your Majesty, the nine nether annihilation pagoda... is it really going to be activated?"

"Yes." Shang Wan Ning nodded, "The first-generation nuclear weapon has long been perfected by the Research Institute, and the required resources have mostly been allocated."

"All that is missing is a team of regular technical personnel capable of operating it proficiently."

She looked at the two, "The Yin Soldier legion is the foundation of the Underworld, and the nine nether annihilation pagoda is one of the trump cards for dealing with major future upheavals."

"I can only rest easy if this object is handed over to you."

The red light beneath Ma Sanqiang's mask flared, "I will not fail Your Majesty."

His voice was hoarse and deep, as if it were slamming onto the ground.

Niu Mengmeng also put away her playful expression, a look of seriousness appearing on her round face, "This Subordinate understands."

The nine nether annihilation pagoda was the Underworld's ultimate trump card nuclear weapon.

It was rumored that when fully deployed, the entire pagoda could trap and kill Seventh Rank gods, and its power was sufficient to shake the foundations of the plane.

In the past, the Underworld lacked high-end combat power, so the nuclear weapon remained only on paper.

Now that Ox-Head and Horse-Face had broken through to the Seventh Rank, there was finally a reason to activate it.

"The nuclear weapon and the training manual will be delivered to you by Dean He later."

As Shang Wan Ning spoke, she took out two jade boxes from her Storage Ring.

The jade boxes were pitch black, with dark golden runes flowing on the surface.

As soon as they appeared, the temperature in the palace dropped a few degrees, and subtle ripples of spiritual energy appeared in the Yin energy.

"Since you have already entered the Seventh Rank, ordinary magical artifacts are no longer suitable for you."

She pushed the jade boxes to the front of the desk, "These two items are my congratulatory gifts."

Niu Mengmeng and Ma Sanqiang exchanged a look and stepped forward to take them.

The jade boxes felt heavy in their hands, and a chill crawled up their arms.

Niu Mengmeng opened the lid, and inside lay a crystal the size of a fist.

The crystal was earth-yellow, and inside, it seemed as if mountain ranges and rivers were slowly moving.

Light falling on its surface was mostly absorbed, leaving only a gentle, dim glow.

"This object is named the 'Heart of Earth Veins'."

Shang Wan Ning introduced, "It is refined from the Profound Yellow Earth Essence that has accumulated in the Nine Nether for ten thousand years, supplemented by the spiritual charm of mountains and rivers."

"It shares the same source as Mengmeng's cultivation technique. Wearing it on your person allows you to automatically absorb earth energy to consolidate your cultivation, and during combat, it allows you to mobilize the power of the earth veins within a hundred-mile radius to bolster yourself."

She paused for a moment, "Of course, the most practical aspect is that it can change weight according to your will."

"When light, it is like a feather; when heavy, it can surpass a mountain."

"It should be very handy for smashing people."

Niu Mengmeng held the crystal, her round eyes wide open.

Bolstering with the power of earth veins... changing weight...

In her mind, she had already imagined the scene of fighting an enemy, throwing a punch, the opponent thinking it was just ordinary force, only to be met with the crushing weight of an entire mountain range.

"Thank you, Your Majesty!"

Niu Mengmeng's voice was three decibels louder, and she carefully pressed the crystal against her heart.

The earth-yellow radiance spread, seeping along the texture of her skin, blending perfectly with the spiritual energy throughout her body...

Ma Sanqiang also opened his jade box.

Inside was a miniature version of a spear.

It was pitch black, with a slender shaft that was only about the length of a palm.

But looking closely, the shaft was densely covered with overlapping dark patterns; those patterns were not static but slowly flowing, like a living creature breathing.

A cold glint at the tip of the spear condensed and did not dissipate; staring at it for too long, one would actually feel a stinging pain in their soul.

"The Underworld Soul-Snatching Spear."

Shang Wan Ning said, "It is primarily made from 'Soul-Devouring Iron' buried at the bottom of the Wangchuan River, fused with the original malevolent aura of three thousand fierce ghosts, and refined through the Nine Nether Yin Fire for a thousand years."

"This spear is both tangible and intangible, and can become virtual or real according to your will."

"When fighting enemies, the spear strikes like a specter demanding a life, specifically breaking soul defenses."

"Ordinary protective spiritual light, soul armor, and talismans are as good as non-existent before this spear."

She looked at Ma Sanqiang, "You are already skilled in offense; giving this spear to you is like adding wings to a tiger."

Ma Sanqiang extended two fingers and picked up the small spear.

The moment his knuckles touched the shaft, the small spear vibrated with a soft "hum," the pitch-black radiance surged, and then immediately receded.

The shaft rapidly elongated and thickened, and in the blink of an eye, it transformed into the twelve-foot long spear he was accustomed to.

Only, the new spear was pitch black, the cold glint at the spearhead was increasingly bright, and the surrounding Yin energy was sliced by the sharp aura, creating faint whimpering sounds.

Ma Sanqiang held the spear and made a gesture in the air.

Where the spearhead passed, it left a faint black trail that did not dissipate for a long time.

At the edges of the trail, the space showed subtle distortion.

The crimson light beneath his mask flared, obviously extremely satisfied.

"Good spear."

He uttered two words in a hoarse voice.

Shang Wan Ning watched the expressions of the two, her lips curling slightly.

Bestowing divine artifacts was both a congratulatory gift and an investment.

The stronger Ox-Head and Horse-Face were, the more stable the Underworld would be.

If they were to ever face the immortals and gods of the Source Realm, they would be the sharp blades charging at the very front.

"Although the divine artifacts are good, they also need time to be broken in."

She reminded them, "During this one-month vacation, get well acquainted with your newly acquired divine power."

"The drill for the nine nether annihilation pagoda is imminent, do not slack off."

"This Subordinate obeys."

Niu Mengmeng and Ma Sanqiang replied in unison.

Niu Mengmeng carefully tucked the Heart of Earth Veins into her bosom, feeling that warm and thick earth energy circulating in her body; the smile on her round face could not be stopped.

Ma Sanqiang repeatedly examined the new spear in his hand, the spearhead vibrating slightly, echoing with his soul as if it were a living thing.

"If there is nothing else, you may withdraw."

Shang Wan Ning waved her hand, "Right, Mengmeng."

"Please give your command, Your Majesty."