After sequestering himself in the weapon crafting hall for over a week, Han Xiao finally emerged, his steps measured and eyes sharp. The intensity of the forge clung to him, the heat of the flames and the rhythmic clinking of metal still resonating in his bones. He was greeted by the familiar faces of Ji Ying and Ji Hao, a pair bound by both blood and duty.
"Little Han, it's good to see you," Ji Ying greeted warmly, her eyes sparkling with admiration. A skilled apprentice in her own right, she held a deep respect for Han Xiao.
"Indeed, Young Master Han," Ji Hao chimed in, his voice gruff but respectful. As Ji Ying's uncle and a seasoned warrior, he had seen countless weapons and the men who wielded them, but Han Xiao always managed to surprise him. "We’ve been eager to see what masterpiece you've created this time." Ji Hao, the guardian of this seventh floor for decades, had his ways of monitoring what was happening inside the hall.
Han Xiao nodded in acknowledgment. He had already discovered their surveillance when the System dinged with curse points added to his tally. What surprised him even now was the persistent notification saying:
+1 Watched!
After some thought, he had one more suspicion about Tang Chen and caressed the Golden Identity Token. 'Hmm, so this is how you’ve been watching me all this time. Anyway, I’ve nothing to hide as the weapon-smithy technique is just for someone with Malediction Physique. Plus, on the hind side, I still gain Curse Points. And if I needed to release something serious, I’d put it inside the Spatial Curse Portal Scroll.'
"Sister Ying Er, have you been waiting for me all this time?" he asked, noticing that she was still wearing the same clothes and make-up from their last meeting.
"What can I do when my client is holed up inside a room for an entire week? But thanks to you, I’ve been enjoying all the premium-level services of this place," Ji Ying responded, sipping from a luxurious-looking white cup.
Han Xiao chuckled. "I’m glad to hear it. I didn’t mean to keep you waiting, but this weapon required all my attention."
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Ji Hao’s eyes twinkled with curiosity. "Well, let's not keep us in suspense any longer, Young Master Han. Show us what you’ve been working on."
Han Xiao gestured for them to follow him back into the hall. As they walked, he explained, "I've crafted a new blade, one that merges traditional techniques with some... unconventional methods. The balance, the edge, the way it channels qi—it’s like nothing I’ve ever made before."
Ji Ying leaned in, her curiosity piqued. "What is it, Little Han?"
Inside the hall, the air was thick with the scent of metal and the residue of intense labor. On a pedestal in the center of the room lay the new weapon, covered in a silk cloth. With a flourish, Han Xiao unveiled it.
The blade gleamed with an almost ethereal light, the metal shimmering with hints of blue and silver. Intricate runes were etched along the blade, glowing faintly with a power that seemed to pulse in rhythm with the room’s ambient energy.
Ji Ying gasped. "It’s beautiful..."
"And deadly," Ji Hao added, reaching out to feel the weight of the blade. "This will change things, Han Xiao. Wow, it has two magical inscriptions in it. So, an eighth-grade weapon… Can I try?"
“Please,” Han Xiao nodded, secretly eager to see the results. ‘Ho-ho-ho, let’s see how it goes,’ he thought.
Ji Hao breathed in and infused a large amount of his qi into the knife. This went on for ten minutes. When he was disheartened, the knife went berserk instead of igniting the inscriptions, reflecting the huge amount of qi it absorbed with malevolent intent to destroy everything, and his hand bore the brunt of this sudden attack.
It might have hurt badly if it were someone else, but Ji Hao was on a whole different level of cultivation. He let go of the weapon, recognizing that destroying it was out of line, as it was created by the youth who was a very important person in this place.
Covered with a thick, grayish concentration of qi, the sword erupted with bizarre energy, levitating in the air.
“Young Master Han, this knife of yours seems to have a negative reaction against my qi. Tell me, what should I do? If I let it go, it would surely injure you and Ying Er. I think destroying it is the only choice,” Ji Hao suggested.
“There’s no need for that.” Han Xiao moved in a flash and grasped the knife with his right hand. Infusing a bit of his Curse Qi into it, the unwanted qi inside dissolved under the concentration of the grayish qi, and the knife quickly calmed down.
'Hah! The knife is sensitive only to the qi of its maker. What kind of weapon is this? It's like even if this kid has high-grade weapons, others couldn't even lay their hands on them, and the repercussions would be absolute defiance of the weapon. And what is with his qi? I sensed an eerie and rotten sensation from it. Why is everything around this brat so strange?' Ji Hao wondered.
Ji Ying was also lost in thought, reflecting on her earlier judgment about the knife and gaining a new perspective on the nature of the weapons Han Xiao created. 'Hmm, if he ever gives me a gift in the future, asking for weapons is out of the question. Anyway, he’s cute for even thinking of using Royal Uncle Hao to test his theory about the weapon he created.'
“Young Master Han, would you mind activating the inscriptions on it?” Ji Hao inquired, his curiosity piqued.
“It would be my honor.” Spinning the knife around his palm twice, Han Xiao infused more of his Curse Qi into it. Soon, several linear lines became visible on the surface of the blade, and the two inscriptions on each side lit up—one with a dazzling light blue hue and the other with a crimson glow.