Before Lin Tian, the Mortal Cannon suddenly emitted a surge of spiritual energy, followed by a flicker of consciousness.
"How is this possible?" The sight before them left everyone utterly stunned. The elders of the Qi Peak were especially wide-eyed, their shock palpable. As high-ranking members of Qi Peak, they were well-versed in the difficulty of imbuing a weapon with a spirit. Even the luckiest among them had to attempt the infusion at least ten times before succeeding. Yet, Lin Tian had achieved this feat on his first attempt. Though the quality of the tool was subpar, the fact that the spirit had manifested at all was an extraordinary achievement.
Elder Nanyin, standing beside Lin Tian, could not hide her surprise. She, too, was left speechless. This was a first for her as well.
"This Spirit-locking Talisman is truly remarkable," Lin Tian murmured, nodding in satisfaction as he looked at the Mortal Cannon, now beginning to show signs of sentience.
"That kid's luck is off the charts," Zhao Zhenjie muttered under his breath. While his animosity toward Lin Tian was deep-rooted, he couldn't help but envy him now. High talent and, on top of that, extraordinary luck? It was enough to make anyone feel hopeless.
"Elder, now that my weapon has successfully acquired a spirit, I will take my leave." Lin Tian said, preparing to carry the Mortal Cannon away. But as his hand touched the weapon, something strange happened again. The Mortal Cannon suddenly shook off his grip and charged toward the edge of the arena.
"What in the world?" Lin Tian stood frozen, completely dumbfounded. Wasn't the Mortal Cannon his weapon? Why was it running off now?
"This weapon hasn't recognized its master," someone suddenly shouted, and the disciples of the Formation Peak looked on with eager eyes.
Although everyone knew that Lin Tian had crafted and infused the Mortal Cannon, under normal circumstances, it should have acknowledged him as its master. However, since it had not recognized its owner yet, the weapon was technically without a master. Despite its creation by Lin Tian, if someone else could claim it, it would belong to them.
A spiritual tool with a spirit was highly coveted by any alchemist, and the disciples present—mostly from the outer sect—were still at the foundational stages of crafting. For them, a weapon with a spirit could significantly enhance their future cultivation.
At that moment, the disciples of the Formation Peak had lost all reason, frantically rushing to claim the weapon before Lin Tian could do so.
"That's my weapon!" Lin Tian exclaimed, his eyes widening in disbelief. He immediately sprang into action, sprinting after the Mortal Cannon.
Though the elders of Formation Peak also eyed the weapon with interest, their status prevented them from openly intervening. They could only watch in silence, quietly observing the unfolding events.
"Zhenjie, come here!" Elder Dongfeng called out, his mind racing. With his Magic Binding Spike sealed, Zhao Zhenjie was now without a proper weapon. If he could secure the Mortal Cannon, his strength would see a significant boost.
"Master, what's going on?" Zhao Zhenjie approached, his expression filled with confusion.
"This is the Spirit-locking Talisman I used when I claimed my first weapon," Elder Dongfeng explained. "The Mortal Cannon's spirit is still fragile, and if you can use this talisman to bind it, the boost to your strength will be tremendous."
"Thank you, Master," Zhao Zhenjie replied, his lips curling into a smug smile. He had always harbored ill feelings toward Lin Tian. While the Mortal Cannon itself didn't particularly interest him, the thought of seeing Lin Tian's face when he claimed the weapon made his blood stir.
With that, Zhao Zhenjie moved swiftly. As an inner sect disciple at the second level of Foundation Building, he was far stronger than the outer disciples. Without breaking a sweat, he quickly overtook the group and reached the Mortal Cannon.
The cannon, now surrounded by a circle of disciples, remained unmoving. However, no one dared to approach, for fear of being attacked by the others.
Seeing Lin Tian push through the crowd, Zhao Zhenjie's lips curled into a mocking smile. With a swift leap, he bounded through the crowd and landed in front of the Mortal Cannon.
"Zhao Zhenjie?" Lin Tian's heart sank.
"I'll take this Mortal Cannon," Zhao Zhenjie said, his voice thick with malicious intent as he looked at Lin Tian's flustered expression.
Upon seeing the Spirit-locking Talisman in Zhao Zhenjie's hand, Lin Tian's heart dropped. Although he had never personally encountered the Spirit-locking Talisman, it was well-documented in the texts of Qi Peak. He understood immediately that if the talisman were used, the Mortal Cannon would acknowledge its new master.
"Zhao Zhenjie, stop!" Lin Tian's voice cracked with urgency.
"Do you really think I'll listen to you?" Zhao Zhenjie sneered, his smile growing wider. He brought the talisman down upon the Mortal Cannon, and the symbol began to glow brightly. As soon as Zhao Zhenjie pressed his hand onto it, the weapon would be fully claimed.
At that moment, however, something unexpected occurred.