Sword God in a World of Magic

Shang released a long sigh.

Going through the trial was always filled with stress. Even though his life wasn't technically on the line here, the continuous fights against stronger and stronger opponents sapped his strength by a lot.

"You got thirteen points in the beast category and ten points in the Mage category," the jester said. "That's a total of 23 points without a warrior category."

"It was definitely the right decision to promote you."

Shang didn't answer.

He knew that his power had grown tremendously, but that didn't just occur naturally.

Shang was 85 years old, and he had spent over 50 years in complete isolation.

About 70% of his life had been nothing but training day in and day out in isolation.

Was it easy to do something like that?

Of course not!

Shang also wanted to take breaks.

He also wanted to do something else.

However, he couldn't allow himself to relax.

His goal was too important to him, and any moment that wasn't spent on getting him to his goal was a waste of time.

"What are the rewards?" Shang asked.

The jester smirked.

SHING!

Three small things appeared above his right hand, and Shang looked at them.

One was a small set of armor.

One was a small book.

One was a big question mark.

"I have three things to choose from. You may only take one," the jester said.

At that moment, the little armor floated forward and grew to its normal size.

It looked just like Shang's previous armor.

"The first option: An armor just like your weapon."

Shang took a deep breath as he heard that.

An armor just like Sword?

"So, it regenerates, adapts to my needs, and it grows stronger by giving it ore?" Shang asked.

The jester nodded. "Exactly."

armor, you will never have issues with your armor again,

closed his right eye in

reward was more than

fact, it

better armor was basically impossible in

that required decades of research, and Shang

set of armor, he would never have to

that hit Shang would

least two additional lives per battle.

future trials, assuming he managed to advance to the Fifth Realm

Shang was definitely tempted.

next reward?" Shang

wanted to listen to

first reward was already far more than Shang had expected, and he wanted to know if the other

returned to the jester's hand as

as a baseline for all your future techniques. You

to take

knew how terrifying

a blueprint. It had certain principles inside it that could be

fighting style again and elevate it

might even give Shang the inspiration he needed to theorize a way to reach the

save him decades of time in his

task. Shang had to create a path forward without knowing where he had to

that Shang wouldn't even reach the Fifth Realm in

the future, he would find a way, but he had already taken several incorrect steps before that moment, forever making

the technique might even be useful in the

Shang's chance of survival several-fold in the future, the second reward would increase Shang's chances of actually realizing that future

was useful forever, while the technique

given Shang enough inspiration to create something even better, which he wouldn't have been able to create without

terrifyingly useful for Shang's

give up either of them since both

the third?" Shang

returned to the jester's hand,

you what it

You know me. I would much rather take

jester only grinned. "I'm offering it

an eyebrow.

mark. "Long ago, someone created this thing. Then, they sacrificed

that, one day, this thing would find its way to its

have succeeded and that

at the jester. "Does fate

jester chuckled. "In a way, it does," he said as

influence

no one that can influence my

silent for a while. "Am I the rightful

said with

know me?" Shang

"No."

it be useful for

the jester said. "I may enjoy joking around, but I still believe

the question is, is it more useful

back to the jester's

I like to