Chu Tian could barely contain his excitement to learn how Rune Engravers carve runes. If he could engrave some on his spiritual weapon, its power would surely increase exponentially. The mere thought of it thrilled him. “Master, please, tell me more!”

“A Rune Engraver must possess exceptional arm strength and precision. Beyond that, they need to master rune crafting. The higher the rune’s level, the more complex and difficult it is to engrave. It also carries a higher risk of failure. If it fails, the spiritual artifact could be destroyed entirely. Furthermore, Rune Engravers are a rare auxiliary profession, and advanced runes are extremely scarce. Even I only know a few of them.”

Chu Tian gasped. “It’s that complicated?”

“Of course. However, I have a partially complete cultivation technique called Hundred Transformations Divine Strength. It is said to have a hundred levels, but I only possess the first fifty. Even so, I’ve only mastered the first thirty levels. Thanks to those thirty levels, I’ve achieved great success as a Rune Engraver.”

Chu Tian’s excitement surged. “If someone mastered all fifty levels, wouldn’t they be even stronger?”

“That’s correct.”

Impatient, Chu Tian pressed his master to explain this Hundred Transformations Divine Strength, and Qiong Feng had no choice but to explain in detail.

After several hours of explanation, Chu Tian finally understood. The Hundred Transformations Divine Strength is a technique that allows one to concentrate internal energy into their arms and transfer it to the engraving blade. This enables the engraver to control varying degrees of strength while carving.

For example, the first transformation allows the arm to achieve the power of a full-strength strike. The second transformation doubles the strength, and so on. The thirtieth transformation multiplies it by thirty, while the fiftieth transformation increases it fiftyfold.

While it sounded impressive, training in this technique was incredibly challenging. According to Qiong Feng, he had spent centuries mastering just thirty transformations. When Chu Tian heard this, he couldn’t help but gasp.

The hardest part of mastering this technique was adapting to the pressure of concentrated energy, which caused a swelling sensation in the body. Most people had to undergo extensive training to make their bodies accustomed to this.

But Chu Tian was different. His unique dantian, developed after the Nine-Nine Demonic Frenzy, allowed him to advance effortlessly through the levels. From the first transformation to the twentieth, he achieved them all with ease.

Qiong Feng was stunned. “You… do it again!”

Chu Tian, thrilled, repeated the demonstration. Qiong Feng was dumbfounded. “It took me over two centuries to reach the twentieth transformation. You’ve mastered it in just a few hours?”

Chu Tian laughed proudly. “Master, this is what they mean by the student surpassing the teacher!”

Qiong Feng burst into hearty laughter. “I’ve truly struck gold with you!”

Grinning, Chu Tian said, “Master, I can now control my arm strength from the first to the twentieth transformation at will. When can we start learning rune engraving?”

Even more excited than Chu Tian, Qiong Feng said, “Before we start, let me first explain the types and levels of runes.”

This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

“Alright!” Chu Tian listened intently like a top student.

“There are three main types of runes: offensive, defensive, and auxiliary. Their levels range from one-star to nine-star. Nine-star runes are the strongest, while one-star runes are the weakest. In our profession, a Rune Engraver capable of accurately engraving ten or more one-star runes consecutively is considered a one-star Rune Engraver. This goes up to the highest level of nine-star Rune Engraver.”

Chu Tian was immediately curious. “Master, what level are you?”

“Anyone beyond six stars is considered a master. I’m a seven-star Rune Engraver. The only eight-star Engraver on this continent has long disappeared, leaving only three of us at seven stars. My junior brother is a six-star Rune Engraver.”

Chu Tian was deeply impressed. “Master, you’re amazing!”

Qiong Feng laughed modestly. “Alright, enough about me. Now, you need to find an engraving blade, also known as a rune blade. These blades have strict rules. For example, a spiritual blade can only engrave runes on artifacts of lower levels. Otherwise, it won’t even scratch the surface.”

Chu Tian nodded with a smile. “I understand.”

“Rune blades are typically sold in three places: auction houses, the Spirit Masters’ Guild, and large cities. Since Rune Engravers are rare, you won’t find them in smaller cities.”

Chu Tian asked curiously, “Master, what is the Spirit Masters’ Guild?”

“It’s a place for certification. Once certified there, your Rune Engraver status can be verified anywhere, along with your rank.”

“Wouldn’t it be better to keep your Rune Engraver status a secret?”

Qiong Feng chuckled. “Kid, Rune Engraving is also known as the money-burning profession.”

“Why is that?”

“To become a skilled Rune Engraver, you need to practice day and night, consuming countless artifacts. The higher your level, the more expensive the materials. A top-level Rune Engraver could burn through millions, tens of millions, or even billions of spirit stones daily. Who can afford that?”

Chu Tian gasped. “It really is a money burner.”

“Exactly. That’s why having an official status is important. Wealthy families and powerful sects will invite you to engrave runes for them, giving you a chance to earn money. They only recognize certifications from the Spirit Masters’ Guild. Additionally, three-star and above Rune Engravers are highly sought after in major cities, often gaining powerful allies as a bonus.”

Chu Tian nodded. “I understand now, Master.”

“Good. Now go find yourself a rune blade and as many ordinary artifacts as you can. As a beginner, you might burn through dozens or even hundreds of artifacts a day.”

Chu Tian sighed. “Dozens or hundreds? It really is expensive.”

“Go on.”

Chu Tian smiled. “Alright.”

He then left the celestial abode, which automatically retracted after he exited. Chu Tian marveled, “This celestial abode is truly amazing.”

Filled with excitement, Chu Tian quickly left the Cloud Mist Mountain Range, not wanting to encounter that terrifying individual again. Soon, he returned to Ghost City.

Chu Tian began purchasing ordinary artifacts. Each one cost over a million spirit stones, and buying a thousand of them drained nearly ten billion from his wealth. Heartbroken, he muttered, “This is so expensive. Ten billion, gone in an instant.”

To his disappointment, despite acquiring so many artifacts, he couldn’t find a rune blade. Left with no choice, he headed to the auction house, deciding that if he couldn’t find one there, he’d borrow one from Xie An, a fellow Rune Engraver.

At the auction house, the staff greeted him with utmost respect. “Welcome, Young Master Chu!”

Feeling a bit embarrassed, Chu Tian asked, “Where’s your manager?”

“He’s on the third floor. You can go up anytime.”

Surprised by the special treatment, Chu Tian smiled. “Thank you.”

He headed to the third floor to find Xie An. When he explained his need for a rune blade, Xie An was initially shocked. “You want to learn rune engraving?”

“Yes.”

Xie An frowned. “Engraving is costly and difficult without guidance. Are you sure?”

“Don’t worry about me, Elder Xie. I’ll handle it.”

Xie An reluctantly handed Chu Tian a low-grade spiritual blade and said, “Here, use this for now. If a better one appears at the auction, keep an eye on your token and come back.”

Chu Tian eagerly asked for the price, but Xie An refused to accept any payment. Grateful, Chu Tian said, “Thank you so much, Elder Xie. I’ll always remember this favor.”

“It’s just a blade. No need to be so formal.”

Chu Tian laughed. “Alright, I’ll take my leave now.”

As he approached the city gates, Chu Tian spotted a familiar figure. Shocked, he murmured, “How did he find me?”

It was none other than the red-eyed, fierce-looking man. His appearance immediately alerted the Nascent Soul experts guarding the city, who flew into the sky. The man coldly scanned the area and warned, “Don’t mess with me, or you’ll die!”