Ch: 166-175
Chapter 166 The Power of Purple Lightning
Before Thor could answer, Meng Ran fully swung his hand down.
Following his movement, a giant purple lightning dragon surged down from the clouds, roaring towards Thor on the ground.
Thor's expression also turned serious when he saw the attacking purple lightning dragon.
He brandished the Meow-Meow Hammer in his hand, then exerted all his strength to unleash his power.
Amidst crackling sounds, blue lightning coiled around his body, emitting an increasingly dazzling light.
"Haaah!!!"
With a loud roar, Thor raised his hammer and met the diving purple lightning dragon head-on.
"Boom!!!"
The blue lightning, representing Thor's power, collided violently with the giant dragon, and for a moment, deafening crackling sounds echoed between heaven and earth.
Although the collision was fierce, the blue lightning did not last long before being completely engulfed by the purple lightning.
As if the sun had fallen to the ground, only a mass of purple electric light shone brilliantly in the dim world.
Meng Ran slowly descended to the ground, flapping his wings. At this moment, it was his turn to be somewhat worried about Thor's condition.
"I wonder if Thor can withstand this attack," he thought to himself, frowning as he looked at the flickering, explosive electric light not far away.
"He should be fine. After all, he still has a divine body. Injury is certain, but death shouldn't be the case. As long as he's not dead, I can definitely save him."
Meng Ran muttered to himself, and as he thought of this, the worry in his heart subsided.
A moment later, the purple electric light dissipated, and the dark clouds in the sky had also scattered. The entire sky returned to its normal state of a setting sun.
A large area of land where the purple lightning had just flashed had turned completely scorched.
The slowly rising smoke indicated that the land still retained the residual heat from the attack.
Thor lay unconscious in the middle of the scorched earth, with Meow-Meow Hammer embedded in the mud beside his hand. He looked utterly disheveled at this moment.
His majestic armor was tattered beyond recognition, and the red cape behind him had completely disappeared, leaving only a small charred piece of fabric at the connection points.
Seeing Thor appear, Meng Ran hurried forward to check his injuries.
"Over seventy percent of his bones are fractured."
"The muscles on his body have also been paralyzed by the lightning, almost completely cooked."
"Severely injured, consciousness has fallen into a coma."
"Although his divine body can slowly heal itself, I don't know how long it will take, and I can't wait that long."
After checking the injuries, Meng Ran sighed again, "Alas, I was careless. If I had known, I wouldn't have hit him so hard. In the end, I have to heal him myself."
Despite saying this, his movements were not slow.
Meng Ran stretched out a hand and placed it on Thor's chest. The venom on his hand transformed into a viscous liquid, then slowly seeped into Thor's body.
As crisp sounds occasionally emanated from Thor's body, his broken bones and medium-rare muscles were slowly being healed by the venom.
While the venom was treating him, Meng Ran exchanged a healing potion from the system and put it into Thor's mouth.
After two years of accumulation, he had saved up a lot of points. After maxing out all his skills and cultivation techniques, he also purchased enough uru metal to forge a new weapon.
For Meng Ran, who possessed the power of the God of Thunder and could also control wind, an enchanted weapon crafted from uru metal was the most suitable.
Excluding what he had already spent, Meng Ran still had tens of thousands of points left, as he had indeed saved up a lot over the past two years.
Under the dual action of the venom and the healing potion, it wasn't long before the unconscious God of Thunder opened his eyes.
Upon opening his eyes, Thor saw the demon beside him and immediately sat up.
After he sat up, he belatedly touched his body and then said in surprise, "My injuries? They've already healed!"
Meng Ran smiled at his words, "After all, the injuries were because of me. If I didn't heal you, I would always feel bad."
Thor nodded at Meng Ran's explanation, then said nothing, and the atmosphere became somewhat silent.
Thor actually had many questions in his heart, but he knew these were the demon's secrets, so he didn't speak.
For example, the violent purple lightning that had just severely injured him, and the miraculous healing methods.
After a moment of silence, Thor slowly stood up, then gave a somewhat dejected, bitter smile, "How embarrassing. I never thought that I, the God of Thunder, would one day be severely injured by lightning."
Although his injuries had been healed after Thor woke up, he clearly knew how severe his injuries were before he fell unconscious. If he had to recover on his own, it might take a long time.
Hearing Thor's words, Meng Ran patted his shoulder and said, "Don't think about these things. Our sparring isn't for you to wallow in self-pity like this."
"Didn't you get some inspiration and insights from those lightning bolts?"
After hearing Meng Ran's words, Thor also looked up, his eyes thoughtful as he recalled the attack he had just experienced.
"Compression."
"Manipulation."
"Control."
Thor muttered to himself, pondering the details of what had just happened.
Meng Ran heard these soliloquies and knew that Thor had the correct line of thought.
However, he still interrupted Thor and reminded him, "Your line of thought isn't wrong, but there's still a crucial point you haven't noticed."
"A crucial point?" Thor looked at Meng Ran in confusion after hearing this.
Meng Ran saw Thor's confusion, so he raised his hand and condensed a ball of lightning in his palm.
While skillfully manipulating the lightning, he said to Thor, "Don't you feel that my control over it is more flexible, more at will?"
Thor looked thoughtfully at the lightning in Meng Ran's hand.
Meng Ran looked at Thor, and seeing that he had entered a state of contemplation, he continued, "Compared to me, you rely too much on your hammer."
"I think Odin bestowed you mjolnir to allow you to unleash more powerful attacks, not to make you completely dependent on it and neglect your own control over lightning."
"You must remember that you are not the God of Hammers, but the God of Thunder. The power to control lightning comes from within you, from the bloodline deep within your body, not from mjolnir."
"You can think about it yourself: if you didn't have the hammer, how strong would your own control over lightning be?"
Chapter 167 How the Power Bank is Made
Meng Ran telling Thor these words wasn't to show off how powerful he was, nor was he trying to be a know-it-all.
He genuinely felt that the God of Thunder hadn't fully unleashed his powerful strength, and over the years, his reliance on mjolnir had grown heavier and heavier.
Although the hammer increased his strength somewhat, to a greater extent, it limited his development.
It was like Kakashi from Naruto; he was originally a genius ninja who became a Jonin at only 12 years old, but after transplanting Obito's Sharingan, he became Hatake 50/50.
The amount of usable chakra he had was pitifully small, most of it fed to that bottomless pit of a Sharingan.
Although he copied thousands of ninjutsu with that Sharingan and became the Copy Ninja whose name echoed across nations, if he didn't have that Sharingan, would his future have been just like this?
Meng Ran also hoped that Thor could understand these things a little earlier, at least so that he wouldn't be as powerless as he was in the movie of his previous life when facing his sister, Hela, the Goddess of Death.
The God of Thunder should look like the God of Thunder; he shouldn't lose most of his strength just because he doesn't have his hammer, not only getting beaten down by his sister but also losing an eye.
Thor listened to Meng Ran's words, pondering them in his heart, while watching the constantly changing shape of the lightning in his hand.
Watching the lightning transform into a bird one moment, a hammer the next, and then a sword, Thor genuinely felt what Meng Ran was trying to convey.
Thor looked at mjolnir in his hand and said to Meng Ran in a deep voice, "I really have become too dependent on it."
"These years, I've only known to rely on it in battle, instead of improving my own strength."
After speaking, Thor solemnly said to Meng Ran, "Ghost, thank you. I've gained a lot from this battle."
Hearing Thor's thanks, Meng Ran also smiled and said, "Oh, my friend, you don't need to be so polite. You know your help to me has also made me very grateful."
"If what I said can help you, that's certainly for the best. I hope you don't mind my subjective evaluations and thoughts."
After hearing Meng Ran's words, the God of Thunder stepped forward and put an arm around his shoulder, then laughed loudly, "How could I mind? You know your suggestions have truly helped me a lot."
"It's still early, let's go have another drink. Oh, by the way, do you have any methods to improve control over lightning?"
At this point, the sky had already darkened. The God of Thunder walked towards the town with Meng Ran, asking him as they went.
"I just thought about it. If I want to compress lightning like you, I first need to improve my control ability."
After hearing the question, Meng Ran pondered for a moment, then told him some small methods he used when practicing.
"Perhaps you can try charging a mobile phone, that is, charging a mobile phone with your lightning power."
Hearing Meng Ran's suggestion, Thor scratched his head, somewhat puzzled, then said, "Mobile phone? Oh, I remember now, Jane uses this thing too. She said she'd buy one for me."
After hearing Thor's words, Meng Ran realized he had forgotten that he was an alien and hadn't used a mobile phone.
However, it was a good thing that Thor, through his interactions with Jane and others, already knew what a mobile phone was, which saved him the trouble of explaining it again.
Meng Ran nodded and continued to tell Thor, "Because mobile phones are very small and precise, you need to very carefully control the amount of electricity when charging them."
"When you can charge a mobile phone quickly and well, that means your control ability has improved a lot."
"That sounds quite simple, just putting electricity into that thing called a mobile phone." Thor said, while releasing a tiny bolt of lightning that struck the ground.
Meng Ran shook his head when he saw this scene, then patiently continued to explain to Thor, "No, no, no, that won't do. Although that bolt of lightning you just released looked tiny, it's still too much for a mobile phone."
"It needs to be about this small." He said, while holding up a finger to Thor to demonstrate.
A very fine electric arc appeared on his index finger, coiling around his fingertip like a strand of hair.
Thor couldn't help but exclaim in admiration when he saw Meng Ran's precise control, "So that's it. I'll need a lot of practice to achieve this level."
After speaking, he continued with a laugh, "To be honest, even when I was little, the lightning I released was much bigger than this."
"And over the years, I've never even thought about reducing the power of lightning. In battle, I only thought about releasing more and stronger lightning to strike down enemies."
After speaking, Thor showed a reminiscent expression and continued, "The feeling of starting to learn again is truly quite nostalgic. When I was little, I always had endless lessons."
At this moment, Meng Ran patted Thor's shoulder, interrupting his reminiscence. It turned out that under their fast travel, the town was already close at hand.
"Oh, wow, we're here so fast." Thor said, snapping back to reality.
Then he saw the pub where he and Dr. Selvig had drunk last time, so he led Ghost towards that pub.
"Wow, I remember this place. Last time, many humans were mating on this rooftop."
Venom also saw this pub at this moment, and he communicated with Meng Ran telepathically, a method only the two of them could hear.
Meng Ran was also deeply touched by Venom's words. He remembered when he was staking out Thor there last time, the rooftop of this pub left a deep impression on him.
He wondered if the rooftop was as lively now as it was last time.
Soon, Meng Ran and Thor walked into the pub.
The pub was bustling with people, many talking loudly and drinking large mugs of beer.
Pretty waitresses in sexy short skirts swayed their perky bottoms as they moved between tables with trays, serving customers.
At this point, Meng Ran had returned to his normal size and had also retracted his ferocious large mouth.
Although his attire was still eye-catching, in the somewhat dim environment of the pub, most guests didn't notice him.
"Good evening, gentlemen, what would you like to drink?" The receptionist behind the bar asked enthusiastically when he saw Thor and Meng Ran seated.
Although he was also curious about Meng Ran's attire, he had, after all, been in the nightlife scene for many years and had seen all sorts of people.
He just assumed Meng Ran and Thor were fans of Ghost, playing cosplay here.
Chapter 168 Drinking and Conversation
"A large glass of craft beer," Thor replied after hearing the waiter's greeting.
After speaking, he looked at Meng Ran beside him and asked, "What would you like to drink, brother?"
Meng Ran pondered for a moment upon hearing this, then told the waiter, "A Moscow Mule, with less ginger ale."
The Moscow Mule was his favorite cocktail, made with vodka as its base.
Unlike other cocktails, the Moscow Mule had a refreshing taste, which was the most important reason Meng Ran liked it.
The cocktail's ingredients were simple, only requiring vodka, lime juice, and ginger ale, but each bartender's preparation would result in a slightly different taste based on his habits.
"Hmm, it seems this gentleman prefers a refreshing flavor," the waiter nodded knowingly after hearing Meng Ran's order.
After speaking, he picked up the shaker nearby and began to prepare the drink, revealing that he was not only a waiter but also a bartender.
Seeing the bartender's flashy movements behind the bar, Thor curiously asked Meng Ran, "Moscow Mule, sounds like an animal, doesn't it?"
Meng Ran replied to Thor's question, "That's right, a mule is one of the most common livestock on Earth, mostly used for farm work."
"Regarding the origin of its name, there's a theory that goes like this."
"Although this cocktail doesn't have a particularly high alcohol content, its strong kick makes you feel like you've been kicked by a mule if you drink too much, hence the name Moscow Mule."
"The place name Moscow is because the vodka originally used to make this cocktail was produced in Moscow."
Thor was enlightened by Meng Ran's explanation, finding the origin story very interesting.
He never expected that a casual "alcoholic beverage" on Earth could have so many stories behind it.
Just then, the bartender handed Meng Ran a copper mug containing the freshly mixed Moscow Mule.
Copper is used for the mug because it has the best thermal conductivity among metals. For cocktails, it maximizes the drink's chill.
"Moscow Mule, guaranteed refreshing," the bartender added after handing the drink to Meng Ran.
Meng Ran nodded, took the mug, and directly took a big gulp.
Accompanied by the slight spiciness of vodka and the fresh scent of lime, the icy liquid flowed from the copper mug into Meng Ran's esophagus, moistening his somewhat parched throat.
"Phew~" After a cold Moscow Mule went down, Meng Ran let out a long breath. This feeling of joy was truly indescribable.
Thor, sipping his large craft beer, watched Meng Ran heartily drink his Moscow Mule. He couldn't help but feel a little curious, a sense of eagerness to try it himself.
"Have one too, give it a try," Meng Ran noticed Thor's eagerness, so he said to him after setting down his glass.
After speaking, without waiting for Thor's reply, Meng Ran ordered another Moscow Mule from the bartender.
A moment later, an identical Moscow Mule left the bar and arrived in front of Thor.
He picked up the glass, looked at it curiously, then mimicked Meng Ran's earlier action and took a big gulp.
Instantly, the refreshing and crisp taste filled Thor's mouth, and the much stronger alcohol than beer also began to take effect.
"Wow~ This drink is good. It's not only refreshing to drink, but it also has a really strong kick," Thor said, nodding with satisfaction after taking a sip.
Seeing his recommendation succeed, Meng Ran also showed a satisfied smile.
For the rest of the time, Meng Ran and Thor continued to drink and chat.
"Oh, brother, I'm thinking of my tragic brother Loki again. Although he causes a lot of trouble, thinking of him dying like that makes me very sad."
"And my mother, I remember she was very tolerant and loving towards us brothers when we were young."
"During this sudden invasion by the Dark Elves, she was also killed by those damned elves."
At this point, Thor, who had been drinking for a while, was recounting his recent tragic family story to Meng Ran.
Meng Ran listened and comforted him, "Loki is so smart and extremely skilled in magic."
"Perhaps his death this time is just a joke he's playing on you, and you'll see him again after a while."
"Moreover, the departed are gone. You must look forward. I believe your mother wouldn't want to see you so sad and heartbroken."
Meng Ran comforted Thor while subtly giving him hints.
But unfortunately, Thor only took it as Meng Ran comforting him and didn't hold much hope for what Meng Ran said. After all, Loki had died in his arms, witnessed by him personally.
Meng Ran saw Thor's expression and didn't offer further hints, only sighing softly in his heart.
Actually, Thor's hardships were only just beginning. Later, he would experience Loki's resurrection, Odin's death, and Hela's re-emergence.
In the end, unable to defeat Hela, he had no choice but to release the Fire Giant, allowing him to destroy Asgard and perish with Hela.
The anticipated Ragnarok arrived as scheduled, and Thor could only lead the remaining Asgardian people to seek refuge on Earth.
However, even this last bit of hope was completely destroyed by Thanos's sudden appearance.
Not only were half of his people massacred, but even his most trusted companion Heimdall and his brother Loki died at Thanos's hands.
Thinking of this, Meng Ran patted Thor's shoulder in comfort.
Facing Thor's arduous future, Meng Ran felt a bit worried for him.
Fortunately, Thor's sadness came and went quickly. After a brief moment of negativity, he raised his glass again and began a fierce exchange with Meng Ran.
Thus, Meng Ran and Thor drank in the pub until midnight before returning to their respective lodgings to rest.
Given their physiques, the alcohol had little effect on them.
After drinking, apart from a slight sense of excitement, they felt no other adverse effects or discomfort.
So, when they parted, Meng Ran and Thor were both very clear-headed. They agreed to set off promptly after lunch the next day.
Meng Ran had no objection to this schedule. Although he was eager to forge new weapons, he wasn't in such a hurry for this short delay.
According to their plan, their return to Earth wouldn't be particularly late, but since Thor had only recently arrived on Earth, he needed enough time to explain and say goodbye to Jane and the others.
Only after all these preparations were complete could Thor, free of worries, travel with Meng Ran to the Dwarven Realm.
Chapter 169 Transit and Arrival
Thus, by noon the next day, after everything was prepared, Meng Ran and Thor arrived at an open space, ready to depart.
"Are you ready?" Thor looked at the Ghost next to him and asked.
Meng Ran nodded at his words, and Thor then gently reminded him, "Because you haven't had similar experience before, you might be a bit unaccustomed to using the Bifrost Bridge for the first time."
"But I believe with your physique, it won't have too much of an impact. You'll get used to it after a few more transmissions."
"Understood, don't worry, I have no problem," Meng Ran responded with a nod after hearing Thor's kind reminder.
Next, Thor looked up at the sky and shouted with all his might, "Heimdall! Do you see me? Use the Bifrost Bridge to take us to Asgard, we need to go to Nidavellir!"
After he finished shouting, the quiet air indicated that Heimdall had not yet heard Thor's request.
Thor could do nothing about this situation. He could only continue to look up and shout with all his might, repeating what he had just yelled.
Finally, on Thor's third shout, a violent ripple suddenly appeared in the air, and a dazzling light descended from the sky, enveloping Meng Ran and Thor, who were standing on the ground.
It was also Meng Ran's first time experiencing the power of the Bifrost Bridge's transmission. He only felt a strong suction coming from the dazzling white light, which then pulled them both into the air.
Then, a shimmering spatial tunnel, sparkling with rainbow light, appeared in the universe.
In this spatial tunnel, the surrounding scenery and starry sky moved rapidly like a mural beside Meng Ran and Thor, reminding them that they were constantly traversing space, crossing this vast distance.
Finally, after a moment, Meng Ran felt the suction in front of him gradually weakening.
Not long after, as the suction completely disappeared, Meng Ran and Thor emerged from the receding light and arrived in a magnificent hall that looked resplendent with gold. This was the Bifrost Bridge's departure point in Asgard.
At this moment, a man with dark brown skin and strange white light in his eyes was leaning on a greatsword, which was plunged into a central instrument, silently watching Thor and Meng Ran, who had just emerged from the Bifrost Bridge.
"Hey, Heimdall, long time no see," Thor greeted Heimdall happily after seeing him.
Heimdall still maintained his expressionless demeanor. After hearing Thor's words, he merely said indifferently, "It hasn't been that long, we only met yesterday."
Hearing his words, Thor didn't feel embarrassed. He just laughed heartily, then pointed to Meng Ranbeside him and continued to introduce him, "This is the Ghost, a famous superhero from Midgard, and also my friend."
"The reason I called you this time is to ask you to send us to Nidavellir. I have something I want to discuss with Eitri."
After Thor's introduction, Meng Ran and Heimdall nodded faintly, acknowledging each other.
After the introduction, Heimdall looked thoughtfully at Thor and said, "I thought you wouldn't be back for a while after you left yesterday."
Hearing Heimdall's words, Thor scratched his head a little awkwardly and laughed, "It's just that something suddenly came up, and I didn't expect to be back so soon."
Heimdall didn't say anything after hearing Thor's reply.
He merely placed his hands on the sword, looked deeply at Thor, and then continued, "So, you're just passing through and not going to see the King?"
Thor just nodded at his words and replied, "I just spoke with my father yesterday, so today I'm just passing through and won't go in."
Heimdall didn't continue speaking after hearing Thor's reply. He just returned to the control panel and inserted the greatsword in his hand into the central device.
Seeing this, Thor pulled Meng Ran, who was beside him, and prepared for another transmission.
Seeing that they were ready, they didn't waste any words. He merely plunged the greatsword in his hand forcefully into the device below, then gripped the hilt and began to rotate it.
As Heimdall rotated the hilt, a violent white light, just like before, enveloped Thor and Meng Ran, carrying them towards the distant Dwarven Realm, Nidavellir.
After one transmission, Meng Ran, now in the white light, was no longer surprised by this magical situation. All he was thinking about now was Heimdall's expression and demeanor.
He had not spoken earlier, but had been observing Heimdall as he conversed with Thor.
From Heimdall's reaction, Meng Ran knew that Heimdall must have already known some clues about Loki impersonating Odin.
However, even though he knew, he couldn't be certain, nor could he explicitly say so, as Thor had already left Asgard, and the King of Asgard still appeared to be present.
This situation also prevented Heimdall from clearly telling Thor the information he knew.
Although he didn't know how he had learned this clue, it must have been related to his magical eyes.
Heimdall's eyes could see through the Nine Realms, observing every nook and cranny of the Nine Realms. It was probably by virtue of this ability that he found some traces of Loki impersonating Odin.
Just as Thor and Meng Ran left Asgard for Nidavellir, in the central palace of Asgard, Loki, who had been observing the two, breathed a sigh of relief after seeing them leave.
"Good thing, good thing I didn't replace Heimdall."
"It seems I can't find a reason to replace Heimdall before Thor returns."
Loki had originally planned to find a reason to replace Heimdall after Thor left, and then find someone obedient enough to take his place.
There were two reasons for doing this. The first was a more common reason: because he and Heimdallhad always been at odds, for such an important position as guarding the Bifrost Bridge, he would naturally prefer someone who would obey him.
The other reason concerned his current interests as King. Because Heimdall's abilities were somewhat tricky, to avoid being detected, Loki decided to replace him and eliminate this hidden danger in its infancy.
But unfortunately, he hadn't had time to implement this plan when Thor suddenly returned to Asgardwith the Ghost.
Although it was just a passing visit, Loki still felt uneasy.
After today's situation, Loki decided to keep Heimdall's position until Thor passed through Asgardagain and returned to Earth, to be on the safe side.
At the same time, Meng Ran and Thor, who were traveling via the Bifrost Bridge, had also arrived at their destination, the Dwarven Realm, Nidavellir.
Chapter 170: Dwarf Kingdom - Nidavellir
Nidavellir.
In the dim expanse of space, a fiercely burning star released dazzling light.
Next to this burning star was a massive ring system, slowly rotating according to some mysterious rhythm.
This ring system was home to the universe's most skilled forging race—the Dwarves.
Although they were called Dwarves, in reality, their stature was not particularly small; their 'dwarfness' was only in comparison to the giants that once existed.
Just then, a fierce white light shot through space, illuminating the ring system, and after a moment, it gradually dissipated.
As the light faded, two figures emerged: Thor and Meng Ran, who had transited from Asgard.
Although the Bifrost Bridge's light was intense, it didn't attract much attention.
This was because the Dwarves on the ring system were all busy with their respective tasks. Moreover, they knew that those who arrived via the Bifrost Bridge were always people from Asgard, so they didn't stop their work, continuing to clang away as they forged weapons in their hands.
Meng Ran followed behind Thor, walking slowly forward, curiously observing the surroundings as he went.
He saw the tall Dwarves intently forging weapons before them, and with each clang of the hammer, waves of heat continuously emanated from around him.
As Meng Ran surveyed the bustling scene around him, he pondered inwardly.
"They're clearly taller than more than half the races in the universe, yet they're called Dwarves. I don't understand."
After only a few steps, a Dwarf, nearly 5 meters tall but with somewhat short limbs overall, approached Thor and Meng Ran.
With the Dwarves, Meng Ran truly understood that having short limbs and being tall were not contradictory.
They demonstrated what it looked like when these two characteristics perfectly merged into one individual.
The tall giant saw Thor and laughed, "Long time no see, Thor. We saw your battle with the Dark Elves a few days ago."
"This time, the Thunder God's renown will be remembered by everyone in the Nine Realms."
Thor was pleased to hear the giant's praise, but he humbly waved his hand and laughed, "I couldn't have done it alone; I had companions helping me at the time."
It must be said that ever since his first banishment to Earth by Odin, Thor had begun a gradual process of change and growth.
Much of his former arrogance and pride had now been polished away.
After speaking, Thor introduced Meng Ran and the Dwarf to each other.
"Oni, this is Dwarf King Eitri. He is the most skilled weapon forging master in the universe."
"Eitri, this is Oni, a friend I made on Midgard. His strength is formidable; he's even more powerful than me."
Eitri was surprised to hear Thor's introduction. Thor's humility earlier had already astonished him, and now he was so highly praising this somewhat peculiar-looking person in front of him.
After all, he and Thor hadn't seen each other for some time. The Thor he remembered was still the somewhat arrogant and proud God of Thunder who looked down on everyone.
Today's Thor not only changed his arrogant demeanor but even became humble. It seemed something must have happened recently to bring about such a significant change in him.
"Hello," Eitri said, looking curiously at Meng Ran, while also offering a kind smile as he greeted him.
In his opinion, since this strange person was recognized by Thor, he certainly wasn't simple.
As for Thor's claim that Oni could defeat him, Eitri merely thought Thor was joking and didn't take it seriously.
One doesn't strike a smiling face, and moreover, Meng Ran now had a favor to ask. Facing such a friendly Eitri, Meng Ran naturally greeted him very politely.
After a brief exchange of pleasantries, Eitri led the two on a tour.
"Speaking of which, Thor, you haven't been here in a while. Is there something you need today, suddenly coming to see me?"
"Could it be that mjolnir has some problem?"
After showing them around for a bit, Eitri asked Thor about their purpose for coming.
Thor waved his hand at Eitri's question and laughed, "mjolnir is fine. I've always treated it as my closest companion; how could I let anything happen to it?"
"I actually came today because I need your help with something."
Eitri heard this and continued to ask, "Do you need me to forge a weapon?"
Thor nodded at the question.
Upon seeing Thor's response, Eitri continued, "Then it must be this Oni who needs a weapon, since you, Thor, already have mjolnir."
Meng Ran, who had remained silent, nodded when he heard the Dwarf King's words and then said, "That's right, I do need a weapon."
After speaking, Meng Ran flipped his hand and produced a large chunk of uru metal, placing it on the ground.
Neither Eitri nor Thor were particularly surprised by Meng Ran's act of conjuring something out of thin air; many types of magic could achieve this, so they didn't think much of it.
However, upon seeing the uru metal Meng Ran produced, the originally calm hearts of Thor and Eitricouldn't help but ripple.
"This is... uru metal," Eitri said, somewhat surprised, upon seeing the uru metal Meng Ran had taken out.
It's important to know that uru metal is a special metal originating from Asgard. This metal is not only extremely hard but can also be imbued with magic.
Weapons crafted from it are not only incredibly sharp but also enhance elemental affinity, helping the user to more easily sense and control elements.
This characteristic was also Meng Ran's reason for planning to use it to forge his new weapon, as he possessed the power of lightning and control over wind.
Thor also didn't know that Oni had already prepared uru metal for forging a weapon, so he was a bit surprised when he saw the uru metal placed on the ground.
After all, this metal originates from Asgard, and there's usually no outflow. So, he didn't know how Meng Ran had obtained it.
Meng Ran also knew of Thor and Eitri's confusion, and to prevent them from making any strange conjectures, he spoke after placing the metal on the ground.
"I found this metal on Earth after much hardship."
"Is it called uru metal? I didn't know that before."
"I just thought it was incredibly hard, and normally even my sword couldn't cut through it, so I wondered if it could also be used as material for a weapon."
Upon hearing Meng Ran's explanation, Thor and Eitri no longer dwelled on how the metal came to be there. After all, Oni had given them an explanation, and there was no point in asking further.
Chapter 171 Ai Cui's Proposal and Decision
Eitri bent down, picked up the uru metal, and weighed it in his hand.
Although this metal was uru metal, it certainly didn't look like it had flowed out of Asgard.
Because the uru metal produced in Asgard always looked very beautiful and exquisite, unlike the piece in his hand now, which looked just like a solid rock.
"What kind of weapon do you want to forge?"
Eitri weighed the metal in his hand, then turned to Meng Ran and asked him.
Although it was his first time meeting Meng Ran, for Thor's sake, he had no reason to refuse this request for forging.
Upon hearing Eitri's words, Meng Ran knew that the matter was settled; though delighted inwardly, he calmly took out his Qieyun.
"This is what I want it to look like; something similar to this will do," Meng Ran said, handing the Qieyun in his hand to Eitri.
Eitri took the Qieyun and examined it carefully; in his large palm, the Qieyun became miniature.
"The material of your blade is also very good, but it's a bit lacking in hardness," Eitri said to Meng Ranafter stroking the blade and then lightly flicking it with his finger, hearing the crisp sound it made.
"What do you plan to do with this blade afterward?" Eitri asked Meng Ran, shifting his gaze from the Qieyun.
Meng Ran scratched his head and replied, "It might just be left idle; after all, it's a comrade who fought alongside me, and I would feel heartbroken even if I gave it away."
Eitri fell silent after hearing Meng Ran's words; he seemed to be contemplating something, looking at the uru metal for a moment, then at the Qieyun.
Thor had been standing beside them, listening to their conversation; he strongly agreed with Meng Ran's thoughts, as he also regarded Mjolnir as his comrade.
Finally, after a moment of thought, Eitri looked at Meng Ran again and said to him, "I have a suggestion; would you like to hear it?"
Meng Ran nodded at his words and replied, "Of course, you are a master when it comes to forging weapons."
After receiving Meng Ran's reply, Eitri organized his thoughts and then began, "It's like this: your blade is indeed extraordinary; I can feel that it already has a hint of its own thoughts, or to put it simply, it has developed its own will."
"Although it is still very faint, it has indeed developed."
"This characteristic usually only appears on some divine artifacts, such as Thor's hammer and Odin's Eternal Spear."
"Because these weapons are of sufficiently high quality and have undergone the baptism of a long time."
Upon hearing Eitri's words, Meng Ran suddenly understood; he hadn't expected that Qieyun already had its own will.
Indeed, as Eitri said, for a weapon to develop a will, it must not only be of sufficiently high quality but also undergo a long period of refinement.
However, Meng Ran himself knew that he had only acquired Qieyun about three years ago, so, in that sense, Qieyun had existed for a very long time before he obtained it; it was just that he acquired it through the system three years ago.
Eitri paused, then continued, and Meng Ran, at this point, put away his wandering thoughts and continued to listen.
"Possessing such a characteristic is very valuable, so it would indeed be a pity to leave it idle like this."
"It just so happens that I have also been researching some related things these past few years, so I think we could melt down and reforge Qieyun together with the uru metal you brought, and recast it into a new blade."
"The advantage of doing this is that it can preserve the consciousness that Qieyun has already developed, and because the uru metal is added, enhancing its material, its consciousness will also be enhanced to a certain extent."
"However, everything has risks; the risk of doing this is that Qieyun's consciousness might also disappear."
"So, you can carefully consider this suggestion; the choice is in your hands."
After Eitri finished speaking, he greeted the two of them and then went to attend to other matters, waiting for Meng Ran to make his decision before proceeding with the forging.
Thor also knew that this choice was difficult, so he patted Meng Ran's shoulder and comforted him, "Actually, you don't need to be too conflicted."
"Since your blade already has its own consciousness, why don't you ask for its opinion?"
Upon hearing Thor's words, Meng Ran suddenly had an epiphany; the person involved is often confused, while an outsider sees clearly.
The current situation was indeed like this; since Qieyun already had its own consciousness, the choice should be left to it.
After clarifying his thoughts, Meng Ran raised the Qieyun he was holding tightly and carefully sensed its emotions.
The bright blade reflected a cold light, and Meng Ran's fierce appearance was also reflected on it.
"You must have heard what was just said, so what is your choice?" Meng Ran asked softly, looking at the Qieyun in his hand.
"To choose to reforge, or to choose to maintain the status quo."
After Meng Ran finished speaking, Qieyun did not immediately transmit any information.
Meng Ran was not anxious about this situation; he sat cross-legged on the ground, looked at the starry sky outside, and waited for Qieyun's decision.
A moment later, a subtle fluctuation emanated from the Qieyun placed flat in front of him.
Meng Ran immediately opened his eyes after sensing this fluctuation.
He picked up Qieyun again and asked softly, "Have you made your decision?"
Upon hearing Meng Ran's question, Qieyun transmitted another subtle fluctuation.
After sensing the fluctuation, Meng Ran continued to ask, "Choose to reforge."
Qieyun: ~~~
Meng Ran: "Choose to maintain the status quo."
Qieyun: ---
Meng Ran: "So you choose to reforge, right?"
Qieyun: ~~~
Thus, after several similar exchanges with Qieyun, Meng Ran finally confirmed that Qieyun chose to be reforged with the uru metal.
After confirming, Meng Ran also stood up.
Thor, who was nearby, asked when he saw him stand up, "Have you made your choice?"
Thor did not know what the final choice was, because the fluctuation from Qieyun was very faint, and only Meng Ran, who held it tightly, could feel it.
"It chose to reforge," Meng Ran replied to Thor's question.
Upon hearing Meng Ran's answer, Thor also smiled and said, "It seems your blade is also a fellow who is unwilling to be ordinary."
Meng Ran also smiled and said, "That's right, we all yearn to become stronger."
Afterward, Thor found a dwarf nearby, explained the situation, and then sent him to find Eitri.
A moment later, Eitri walked over with the dwarf.
"So, what is your choice?" Eitri asked Meng Ran, looking at him.
Upon hearing Eitri's words, Meng Ran first solemnly handed him the Qieyun in his hand, and then loudly declared, "We choose to reforge."
Chapter 172 Casting
Eitri was not surprised to hear Meng Ran's words; he could see Meng Ran's ambition to pursue strength, so he was not surprised by this outcome.
"I understand." Eitri looked at Cutting Cloud, which lay in his hand looking very miniature, then said to Meng Ran.
"Come with me." Eitri beckoned to Meng Ran and Thor, signaling for them to follow him as he spoke.
Thus, the two walked behind Eitri, and after bypassing many construction sites, they finally arrived in front of a giant furnace.
This furnace was much taller than Eitri and looked enormous.
Eitri first threw the uru metal in his hand into the furnace, then he gently suspended Cutting Cloud above the furnace.
Meng Ran and Thor stood not far from the furnace, watching Eitri's series of operations.
They had never seen the process of making weapons before, so they were very curious and watched intently, not missing a single detail.
After Eitri finished these tasks, he took a square object from a nearby stand.
As he moved the object, he explained to the two onlookers, "This is the mold I just made while you were making your choice."
"In a moment, I will channel the energy of a star into this furnace, and then use it to melt all the uru metal inside into liquid."
"This metal is extremely strong and difficult to forge; only by utilizing the energy of an entire star can it be melted, and then poured into a mold to cool."
"Some magical runes and symbols are also carved on the mold; these are unique dwarven forging techniques that can fully bring out the characteristics of uru metal."
As Eitri spoke, he pulled a lever nearby. As the lever was pulled, a brilliant, dazzling flash of fire shot out from the burning star near the ring.
This flash of fire passed through a series of special devices and then shot directly into the bottom of the furnace containing the uru metal.
The giant furnace instantly turned red from the heat, and at the same time, it emitted intense high temperatures to the surroundings.
Feeling this heat, Meng Ran and Thor both took a few steps back. Although this heat would not cause them any harm, being roasted was uncomfortable.
During the time the uru metal was melting, Eitri continued to explain to Meng Ran and Thor.
"Where was I? Oh, right, those symbols."
"Those symbols are things that were born with the dwarven race, a talent and gift bestowed upon the dwarven race by the heavens."
"These symbols can communicate elemental energy. When they are inscribed on tools, they can not only imbue weapons with a certain ability to communicate with elements but also enhance their strength and make them sharper."
"Is that all?" Thor asked suddenly after listening to Eitri's explanation and a moment of silence.
"Is that all!?" Eitri's eyes widened when he heard Thor's words, as if he couldn't believe what his ears had just heard.
His voice involuntarily rose several octaves, and then he looked at the somewhat bewildered Thor and said loudly, "Do you know how precious these things are for a weapon without a soul?"
"Why are the weapons made by the dwarves the strongest weapons in the universe? It's because of these characteristics."
"Do you think all weapons are like your hammer and your father's spear?"
It was the first time Thor had seen Eitri like this. He realized he seemed to have said something wrong, so he quickly apologized, "Sorry, sorry, I was just talking nonsense, I don't really understand."
When Meng Ran saw Thor's reaction, he secretly broke into a cold sweat because his thoughts were the same as Thor's, but he hadn't said them out loud, while Thor had blurted them out.
In fact, he hadn't known what was so special about the weapons made by the dwarves before; he just thought everyone said their weapons were very strong, so he held a certain expectation.
After arriving here, listening to Eitri's explanation, his expectations unconsciously rose, which is why he was indifferent to what Eitri had just said, as he originally thought there would be other particularly powerful characteristics.
After hearing Thor's apology, Eitri shrugged helplessly, then sighed and said, "It's alright, I should have thought of it earlier, after all, you grew up in Asgard and have only seen very powerful divine weapons."
After Eitri finished speaking, he climbed back onto the furnace and checked the melting status of the metal inside.
After checking the situation inside, he came down again and continued to say to Thor and Meng Ran, "It will probably take a little longer to completely melt."
After speaking, he looked at Thor again and continued, "Actually, besides those 'ordinary' functions you mentioned, those runes have another function."
"However, situations where this function can be activated are very rare, and the number of successful weapons over the years has been very few."
Meng Ran's curiosity was instantly piqued by Eitri's words. He exchanged glances with Thor and then asked, "What exactly is this function?"
Eitri nodded with satisfaction after hearing their curious question, and then thought to himself.
"That's right, this is how they should be curious. No one can help but be amazed and impressed by the dwarves' powerful forging techniques."
After enjoying their curious gazes for a while, Eitri did not answer their question but turned and returned to the furnace.
Seeing Eitri's actions, Meng Ran and Thor were both speechless.
Why would someone like to speak in riddles? It was so annoying; their curiosity had just been piqued.
"So what exactly is its function?" Thor clearly couldn't tolerate this situation, so he asked Eitri again.
Eitri acted as if he hadn't heard Thor's question. He looked at the melting status of the uru metal in the furnace and then said to the two, "It's already melted, now only the last step remains."
Seeing Thor's curious expression, he continued, "Don't think about that function. It has succeeded fewer than a handful of times over this long period, so there's no need to mention it at all."
"We should focus on this blade instead."
Thor was clearly not satisfied with this answer after hearing Eitri's words. Just as he was about to open his mouth to press further, Meng Ran patted his shoulder and said softly, "Forget it, let go of that question. Let's not disturb him for now."
Thor nodded helplessly after hearing Meng Ran's words. Compared to the half-mentioned feature, the blade was the most important thing.
Chapter 173 New Qieyun
Now that all the uru metal has melted, the next step in the process can begin.
Meng Ran and Thor also put away their curiosity, no longer thinking about that question, but quietly watching Eitri's forging work as before.
Eitri looked at the completely melted uru metal, then softly said to Cheyun, which was suspended above the furnace, "Get ready, your rebirth is about to begin."
After speaking, he waited for a moment, then released the suspended Cheyun, letting it fall directly into the melted uru metal liquid.
Seeing this scene from a distance, Meng Ran couldn't help but feel a little worried.
"It must succeed," he murmured to himself.
Because its material was not as difficult to process as uru metal, Cheyun quickly melted into the molten iron.
During this process, Eitri stood by the furnace, watching the situation inside. After seeing Cheyun melt, he waited for a moment longer.
After they had fully fused together, he walked down the ladder again, then stood on the ground and gripped a nearby wrench.
"Ha!" Accompanied by Eitri's low roar, the huge furnace and wrench tilted down slowly at the same speed.
"Squeak, squeak, squeak~! Clank, clank, clank~!"
The furnace slowly tilted downwards, making a loud noise at the same time.
Listening to this harsh sound, a thought couldn't help but arise in Meng Ran's mind: "Do these Dwarvesnot lubricate the joint mechanisms of this furnace?"
As the furnace tilted, the fiery red metal liquid inside slowly flowed out, then all entered the mold Eitrihad just specially made.
"Clank, clank, clank, clank!" After all the metal liquid was poured out, Eitri immediately raised the furnace again.
After raising the furnace, he walked to the mold in front and observed the pouring situation.
"Excellent! The pouring is superb!" Eitri looked at the mold with satisfaction, then praised it.
After speaking, he used a special iron clamp to pick up the mold and placed it on the workbench beside him.
As he moved, Meng Ran and Thor also hurried to the platform next to the workbench to watch.
After Eitri placed the mold, he put on a pair of gloves that looked somewhat old and dirty.
Then he laid out a set of professional tools, and gently tapped and poked the mold.
Knowing that Meng Ran and Thor couldn't understand his operations, Eitri explained to them while working, "The casting is complete; what I need to do now is demolding."
"Don't let my old gloves fool you; they are also a very powerful treasure, a legacy item that only the King of the Dwarves possesses."
"These gloves can not only block all temperatures but also have very strong defensive power; nothing but time can leave a mark on them."
As Eitri spoke, he had already disassembled the mold, and the glowing red blade inside the mold was revealed.
Upon seeing this scene, Meng Ran couldn't help but recall how Stormbreaker was born in his past life's memories; he remembered that the mold for Stormbreaker was directly smashed then.
Thinking of this, he couldn't help but raise his question: "Does this mold need to be disassembled so carefully? Can't it just be smashed directly?"
Hearing Meng Ran's words, Eitri's eyes widened again, and he looked at him in surprise, saying, "Who told you to smash it? These molds can be kept and reused."
"Moreover, the material it uses is a very rare one; how could I bear to smash it?"
After hearing Eitri's words, Meng Ran realized he seemed to have asked a foolish question, so he, like Thor earlier, repeatedly apologized: "Sorry, sorry, I don't know much about these things; I was just talking nonsense."
Eitri waved his hand repeatedly after hearing Meng Ran's words, then, while tidying up the mold, he said, "It's alright."
After tidying up, he focused his gaze on the new Cheyun, which was glowing red.
Wearing his heat-insulating gloves, he picked up Cheyun and carefully felt it.
Feeling the fluctuations emanating from Cheyun, Eitri's eyes lit up.
He smiled at Meng Ran and said, "The forging was very successful, and its original consciousness has been preserved. Now it is slowly growing."
Hearing Eitri's words, Meng Ran also felt a sense of relief.
Just then, Eitri suddenly turned his gaze back to Cheyun, then looked at it and began to ponder, as if carefully sensing something.
"You need a hilt?" Eitri murmured to Cheyun.
"Hmm?" Thor and Meng Ran looked puzzled upon hearing Eitri's murmur.
"I understand." Eitri ignored Thor and Meng Ran's questions and continued to speak to himself.
"That's right! That thing! With that thing, it will definitely be even more perfect!"
Eitri suddenly exclaimed loudly, as if he had just remembered something.
Immediately after, before Thor and Meng Ran could react, he grabbed Cheyun and ran off in one direction.
"Huh? What's going on?"
Meng Ran and Thor exchanged confused glances; they didn't quite understand what was happening.
Looking at the distant Eitri, they temporarily suppressed their confusion and quickly followed him.
Thus, Eitri ran ahead with Cheyun, while Meng Ran and Thor followed behind him.
Finally, Eitri stopped running in front of an ancient-looking large door.
He held Cheyun in one hand and pushed open the large door with the other.
After opening the large door, Eitri immediately walked in and began searching through a huge cabinet with countless compartments.
Meng Ran and Thor followed closely into the room. Because there was no light, the huge room was incredibly dim.
They looked at the immense, seemingly endless cabinets around them and couldn't help but exclaim in admiration.
"Found it, it's here."
Just as Meng Ran and Thor were marveling, Eitri's voice rang out from a large pile in front.
He was holding a slender branch in his hand and was wrapping it around the hilt of Cheyun.
Whether it was Eitri's superb craftsmanship or the branch's magical properties, when the branch was wrapped around Cheyun and became its hilt, everything seemed so harmonious.
The branch and Cheyun fit together perfectly, like two pieces of a puzzle that were meant to be.
A moment later, Eitri finally completed his work. At this point, Cheyun was no longer glowing red but had returned to its original appearance.
Eitri, while carefully examining and appreciating Cheyun in his hand, stepped over the pile of scattered boxes on the ground and walked towards Meng Ran and Thor.
Chapter 174 World Tree
Meng Ran looked at Eitri, who was walking towards them, and immediately became a little excited. He knew that the New Qieyun he had been looking forward to had been forged.
Eitri walked in front of them and handed the Qieyun in his hand to Meng Ran.
"Now it is about to complete its metamorphosis. You need to hold it in your hand to truly complete its transformation and embrace a new life."
Meng Ran listened to Eitri's words and solemnly took the Qieyun.
Just as he grasped the hilt of the Qieyun, the branches wrapped around it suddenly grew some tiny thorns.
These thorns pierced through Meng Ran's Venom battle suit and the skin of his palm, absorbing his blood into the Qieyun through the thorns.
Although Meng Ran felt a slight stinging pain, he did not let go. He simply observed the changes in the Qieyun with a solemn expression.
After absorbing Meng Ran's blood, the blade of the Qieyun immediately began to tremble slightly.
Accompanied by the slight trembling, the Qieyun seemed to pierce through a layer of dark light wrapped around it, finally revealing its true form.
He saw its dark golden blade shimmer with an extraordinary metallic luster, and the complex characters and symbols engraved on it gradually took on a hint of dark red blood.
The hilt, made of slender branches, was no longer as fresh and vibrant green as before. Instead, it had darkened to a deep grayish-black, matching the ancient and textured blade, with only a hint of dark green visible upon close inspection.
Meng Ran held the hilt in his right hand, standing the blade upright, while his left hand gently stroked the blade, feeling the Qieyun's cold touch and its ancient, dark luster and texture.
"It's too beautiful!" He exclaimed, looking at the reborn Qieyun.
Upon hearing Meng Ran's praise, Eitri also showed a satisfied smile. As a master weapon smith, nothing could be more satisfying than personally creating a perfect work.
Thor, standing nearby, looked at the exquisite Qieyun in Meng Ran's hand and was also eager to play with it. No man could resist such a perfect weapon.
Just then, Meng Ran snapped out of his joy. He turned to Eitri and asked solemnly, "What exactly was that branch just now? I can feel that it's very extraordinary."
"I can't just take such a precious treasure. Please tell me if there's anything I can do, I..."
Before Meng Ran could finish his sentence, Eitri waved his hand to interrupt him and then smiled, "There's no need to be so polite. It was my decision to use it as the hilt."
"As a master weapon smith, I would regret it my entire life if my work couldn't achieve its most perfect state because of me."
Thor, listening to their conversation, looked at the branch on the hilt thoughtfully.
Suddenly, he seemed to remember something and hurriedly asked Eitri, "Eitri, could that branch be a branch of the World Tree?"
Eitri was also surprised to hear Thor's words. He hadn't expected Thor to recognize what this treasure was.
He smiled and nodded to Thor, saying, "Your eyesight is good. That branch is indeed the World Tree."
"Because there were some materials left over after making the Eternal Spear for your father back then, that generation's Dwarf King placed them in this storeroom."
"When I saw the hilt of the Qieyun just now, I suddenly thought of this branch. With it, this work is in its most perfect state."
Meng Ran, who was nearby, immediately gasped mentally upon hearing the conversation between Eitriand Thor.
"That branch is actually a branch of the World Tree. The favor owed this time is huge," Meng Ranthought to himself.
However, this also demonstrated the Dwarf King Eitri's noble pursuit in forging weapons. The branch of the World Tree was used without hesitation, solely for the weapon to achieve its most perfect state.
Thinking of this, Meng Ran's heart was filled with gratitude towards Eitri.
He looked at Eitri solemnly and promised, "I will remember this kindness. In the future, no matter what happens, if you ever need help, I will do my best to assist you."
Eitri's initial motivation was solely for the perfection of his work. While he was deeply moved by Meng Ran's promise, he never truly expected to need Meng Ran's help one day.
After all, in his opinion, with Asgard and the currently booming Thor as their protectors, no one in the universe would be so foolish as to provoke them.
Thor also guessed Eitri's thoughts at this moment. He stood between the two, half-jokingly reminding them, "Hahaha, with the demon's promise, the safety of you Dwarves is even more guaranteed."
"Although I really don't want to admit it, we just sparred before coming here, and I lost terribly."
Hearing Thor's words, Eitri, who had been dismissive, was suddenly stunned. He hadn't expected this strange-looking demon to actually possess such formidable strength.
Meng Ran also heard Thor's words and simply smiled humbly, "It was just luck, just luck."
In Eitri's mind, Meng Ran's image at this moment began to be reshaped.
Just then, Thor finally "snatched" the Qieyun from Meng Ran's hand. He had been eyeing it for a long time and could finally get his hands on it.
Meng Ran saw Thor's expression and understood his thoughts, so he let go and handed the Qieyun over.
As Thor grasped the Qieyun, a strange gray energy suddenly spread from the hilt.
At the same time, the hand holding the hilt gradually became gray and withered.
Seeing this strange situation and feeling the abnormality in his hand, Thor immediately let go.
After letting go, the strange gray energy on the Qieyun immediately disappeared, and Thor's right hand stopped turning gray and withering.
Then, under his strong vitality, his right hand, which had already shriveled a bit, gradually began to fill out again, returning to its original state.
Meng Ran immediately took the Qieyun as Thor let go. Strangely, in his hand, the Qieyun behaved very calmly, and nothing like what had just happened occurred.
"What's going on?" Meng Ran and Thor exchanged glances, both bewildered and confused by the current situation.
Thor patted the still incredulous Eitri's thigh and then hurriedly asked, "Eitri, what's happening? Is there something wrong with this weapon?"
Chapter 175 The Power of Rules
Upon hearing Thor's question, Eitri gradually calmed himself and then spoke with some excitement, "No, there's nothing wrong."
"Do you remember what I just told you about the greatest function of those symbols and writings?"
"What just happened was them fulfilling their purpose and succeeding."
Although Thor and Meng Ran were still a bit confused by Eitri's explanation, they at least knew it was a good thing, and a very rare good thing at that.
Eitri continued to look at Thor and said to him in a deep voice, "Do you remember the effects of your father's Eternal Spear?"
Thor answered Eitri's question without hesitation, "The Eternal Spear, Gungnir, once thrown, it will always hit its target; it is an infallible divine spear that can penetrate anything it strikes, and then automatically return to its owner's hand."
"Exactly."
Eitri nodded in satisfaction after hearing Thor's answer, then continued, "The infallible effect of Gungnir is the result of that function I spoke of coming into play."
"Such rule-like weapon effects have only appeared a few times over the long course of history."
"In the past few millennia, tens of thousands of years, apart from your father's Eternal Spear, only Chiyun has possessed such a weapon effect."
"So, the last time a weapon had such an effect was the Eternal Spear, and after a gap of ten thousand years, this saber of the Demon King has also developed such an effect," Thor said, somewhat incredulously, after hearing Eitri's explanation.
At this moment, Meng Ran felt as if he were dreaming upon hearing their conversation.
Chiyun actually possessed rule-like abilities comparable to the Eternal Spear, something he had never dared to hope for or even imagined before.
Eitri looked at Meng Ran, who was still lost in disbelief and joy, and smiled at him, "Congratulations, Demon King, if I'm not mistaken, the power of rules contained within your saber should be decay and withering."
"This means that anyone or anything attacked by your saber will be affected by this rule and wither away. If they don't have enough vitality, their ultimate fate will be to turn into dust and then vanish into space."
Upon hearing Eitri's words, Meng Ran finally pulled himself out of his jumbled thoughts. He gently stroked Chiyun, then flicked his wrist, performing a saber flourish.
With his movement, Chiyun's blade instantly lit up with crackling purple lightning, and the power of wind and thunder contained within it displayed its might.
Then Meng Ran immersed his mind, communicating and interacting with Chiyun in his hand.
After being reforged through fusion with uru metal, Chiyun's consciousness not only survived but also improved further.
At this time, it no longer merely emitted faint fluctuations as before. As Meng Ran's spirit connected with Chiyun, he could feel Chiyun's emotional changes and even engage in simple communication.
After a detailed exchange of consciousness with Chiyun, he also understood Chiyun's current abilities and how to use them.
Under the curious observation of Eitri and Thor, Meng Ran gripped the hilt tightly with both hands, then slowly drew a line in the air.
A strange gray energy mist surged from Chiyun's blade. As Meng Ran moved the saber, a trail of mist was left in the air.
Under their gazes, they saw that even the scattered dust in the dim room would disappear completely upon touching the mist; this was the power of rules.
Meng Ran finished testing the saber, and he was overjoyed by Chiyun's transformation.
He looked at Eitri beside him and once again sincerely thanked him, "Eitri, thank you. If it weren't for you, Chiyun couldn't have become so perfect."
Eitri scratched his head upon hearing Meng Ran's words, then smiled, "No need to be so polite. In fact, I should be thanking you. Without this opportunity, I wouldn't have been able to create such a perfect work."
"When you and this saber dominate the universe, they will all know that this saber is my creation, and our names will be etched into the long river of time alongside this saber."
"It will become a legend and a myth, passed down by word of mouth, just like Odin's Eternal Spear."
Thor stood by, and upon hearing their conversation, he suddenly felt a sense of shared honor.
He had witnessed the birth of a weapon destined to become a legend in the Dwarven Realm.
Then Eitri led the two out of the huge room, talking as they walked.
During this process, Meng Ran also solemnly promised Eitri that he would do his utmost to help them when they needed it.
The more Meng Ran interacted with Eitri, the more he felt it was a great pity that the Dwarves had been slaughtered by Thanos until only one remained, and even that last one had his hands cut off.
He had already made up his mind to change the fate of the Dwarves. After resolving matters on Earth, he decided to proactively seek out traces of Thanos.
With Meng Ran's current strength combined with Chiyun, he could say without exaggeration that even if he encountered Thanos with a full set of Infinity Stones, he could contend with him, let alone a Thanos without even a single Stone.
Chatting and walking, Eitri soon led the two to a very open and suitable place for teleportation.
"Well, we'll see each other again if fate allows," Eitri said, smiling at Meng Ran and Thor, who were standing not far away.
Meng Ran also smiled upon hearing Eitri's words, "See you again if fate allows. Thank you for your help this time."
Thor also smiled and waved at Eitri.
After bidding farewell, Thor looked up at the starry sky, preparing to call Heimdall to teleport them away.
Just then, Meng Ran patted his shoulder, then, holding Chiyun, smiled and said, "We can go directly back to Earth now. Chiyun tells me it can also summon the Bifrost Bridge for teleportation."
"Wow, really!" Thor exclaimed with some surprise upon hearing Meng Ran's words.
However, he suddenly thought of something else and asked Meng Ran with some concern, "Are you sure it's okay? After all, it hasn't teleported before; this will be the first time."
Eitri, not far away, also heard their conversation. Upon hearing Thor's question, before Meng Ran could answer, he shouted to Thor, "Don't worry! Thor! Believe in your weapons, your companions!"
Meng Ran, hearing Eitri's words, also patted the somewhat worried Thor and said to him, "See, Eitrisaid not to worry. You have to believe in it."
After speaking, Meng Ran immediately raised Chiyun without waiting for Thor's other reactions.
A dazzling, rainbow-like light instantly enveloped them.
Then, this light immediately shot towards a direction in the universe.