CLANG!
The heavy iron doors groaned in protest as Zani pushed them open, revealing a steep stone staircase descending into subterranean darkness.
This space, originally an ancient cold-storage cellar attached to the kitchen, had been meticulously cleaned and sealed by Zani to serve as his hidden vault.
“Follow me, Brother,” Zani said, clasping his hands casually behind his back as he confidently led the way down into the gloom.
They descended into a dimly lit chamber where the air was thick with the scent of untouched dust and the cold, imposing luster of black iron.
“W-what is this?” Bai asked, his thick eyebrows knitting together in genuine, unrestrained shock.
Seeing the rugged instructor lose his composure immensely boosted Zani’s pride.
A faint, unfathomable smile surfaced on his face.
“Hehehe.
Brother Bai, this is the true foundation of our Iron Core Gym.
The iron dumbbells we display above are merely a small fraction of our complete heritage.” It really is…
perfectly forged pure iron!
Deep within Bai’s hollow puppet body, Little Leo, the aristocratic daughter of a prominent Immortal clan, was utterly flabbergasted.
In all her privileged life wandering the vast empire, she had never laid eyes on such bizarre equipment.
“Come, let this master explain their profound uses to you.” For the next sichen, Zani proudly demonstrated the equipment.
He meticulously explained the mechanics of the cable machines, the heavy squat racks, the angled leg presses, and others, detailing exactly how they isolated and tempered specific muscle groups with flawless, balanced resistance.
Bai mostly observed, nodding in deep admiration.
He only occasionally interjected with sharp, probing questions to understand the absolute mechanical limits of the iron.
“What do you say, Brother Bai?
Will these be of help to our foundation?” Zani asked, thoughtfully cupping his chin.
“Immensely,” Bai replied smoothly, his tone carrying undeniable respect.
“The current rate of improvement among the inner disciples has stagnated lately.
Because they are focusing on tempering the entire body without proper, targeted resistance, their progress in raw lifting power has naturally slowed.” “Exactly,” Zani nodded.
“Although the basic bodyweight exercises are helpful, they are far too slow at shattering bodily limits.
With these tools, their physical foundations will skyrocket.” Pausing for a moment, Bai calculated the logistics in his mind.
“Currently, among our ten fully funded inner disciples, Elisi being eldest can already lift 140 kg, and the others are not far behind.
If my estimates are correct, with this new equipment isolating their weaknesses, they will absolutely shatter the 300 kg limit in at most three months.” “Excellent,” Zani replied, his eyes flashing with satisfaction.
The faster they improved, the closer he got to his System rewards.
Zani had deliberately waited a full month before revealing the equipment.
Because, he needed absolute certainty that Bai was entirely loyal, ensuring someone capable would watch his back if another bloody incident occurs due to this.
Although, He desperately wishes he could restrict these tools solely to himself and his trusted inner circle, hiding them from everybody else.
But sadly, he does not have enough space nor the patience that comes with the sacrifice of his own training.
“Brother Bai, summon the disciples.
We are moving this equipment to the main hall.” Bai, who was still curiously running his calloused fingers over the cold iron, looked up in surprise.
“Are you certain?
Exposing this wealth will invite greedy eyes.” “Hmm…
Some things cannot be avoided.
We must simply face them.” Half an hour later, a heaven-shaking uproar erupted inside the Iron Core Gym.
“Wow!
What kind of divine artifact is this?!” “I think it is a brutal torture device for the legs!
Look at the angle!” “Look at this wire!
Is it woven from pure, refined iron?!” “HEAVENS!
IT IS TOO HEAVY!
JUNIOR BROTHER, QUICKLY, HELP ME PUSH IT!” After a grueling day of collective manual labor, everything was finally settled into place.
However, the massive equipment rendered the main hall suffocatingly cramped, leaving little space to train properly.
After some careful consideration, Zani decided that the lighter benches and excess dumbbells can be moved out into the open courtyard between the main hall and the front gates to accommodate the training sessions.
That night, Zani lay wide awake in his bed.
He knew full well that, despite his stern warnings to the disciples, whispers of these new equipment would spread through the region by dawn.
Inside the Mayor’s Manor.
“Chaao, is it regarding that Gym again?” Mayor Salam asked with clear irritation, not even lifting his head from a massive stack of bureaucratic paperwork.
“I thought I explicitly ordered you not to disturb me with their matters anymore.” “I ask for the Mayor’s forgiveness,” Chaao bowed deeply, terrified of provoking his father-in-law’s notorious wrath.
“But this is an urgent, top-priority report from the talented youth we recently planted within their ranks.” “Oh?” Pausing his brush, Mayor Salam’s eyes narrowed sharply.
“Speak.” “Apparently, the pure iron dumbbells they have been utilizing until now were merely a fraction of their true foundation.
Today, they unveiled massive, highly specialized iron artifacts designed for comprehensive body tempering.
The sheer volume of refined iron defies all logic.” “What?!” Snatching the parchment directly from Chaao’s trembling hands, Mayor Salam shot up from his chair.
Rapidly scanning the text, a deeply complicated expression warped the Mayor’s face.
“This…” Pacing the grand office, Salam’s aura fluctuated wildly with intense calculation.
“Perhaps the heavens have not entirely closed this path to me.
Chaao, listen closely…” Two days passed in total tranquility.
Zani felt a profound sense of relief.
It seems the people of this world are not as bad as I originally thought, he mused.
At the very least, they in heart and body belong to the faction they join.
Lying flat on a bench press, Zani smoothly pushed a heavy iron bar upward, Thinking highly of the disciples under him.
Blissfully unaware of the bloody reality transpiring just beyond his walls.
For two days straight, Chaao and a handpicked squad of the Mayor’s elite personal guards had been silently stalking the perimeter of the Iron Core Gym.
In that short time, they had already ambushed, gagged, and discreetly captured two rogue Skin Tempering experts who had tried to scale the high walls in the dead of night.
Three more days drifted by in absolute peace.
Deciding the storm of rumors had thoroughly settled, Zani prepared for his next grand step.
He commissioned a village carpenter to construct a sturdy wooden noticeboard and firmly planted it in the earth just outside the gym’s heavy iron gates.
That very afternoon, a crisp piece of parchment was pinned to it: Notice: The Iron Core Gym seeks to establish a lucrative partnership with local hunters.
Any hunter possessing true skill and willing to work with our establishment is invited to attend a formal gathering here at noon, two days from now.
The Iron Core Gym had long passed the phase of begging for attention.
Given its explosive reputation across the region, this simple piece of paper was more than enough to shake the surrounding territories.
Within a single day, the news spread like a raging wildfire through Big Wheat Village and straight into the heart of Grains City.