[Shell of the Treasure Chest Monster, a bizarre creature that hides in dark corners all year round, waiting for someone deserving to warm it up. The bottom half of this chest monster is drenched in fresh blood, killed by a brutal 'backstab.' Compatibility: 43% (+25%)]
"Pity, the compatibility of the chest monster is too low, otherwise, after possessing the shell, invading other Apostles... now that would be something."
For a moment, Lin Xun's imagination ran wild, picturing other Apostles stumbling upon a chest, thinking it a heavenly gift, only to be decapitated the moment the chest is opened.
Addled, he wondered, "Since when did I become this twisted?"
Lin Xun opened his inventory to check the loot he just obtained.
[Intermediate Forging Stone: A mysterious ore imbued with an unknown power. It can be used to enhance mid-level equipment. The user must possess a relevant smithing skill.]
[Enchanted Moonlight Sandpaper(Item): A durable piece of sandpaper used for grinding, imbued with the pure power of the Bright New Moon. When the weapon rubs against the sandpaper, something miraculous happens. After use, your current weapon will temporarily be enchanted with 'White Moon' attribute. The enchantment will disappear after killing a monster or upon the shell's death.]
The enchantment of the White Moon attribute, now that's interesting.
He learnt from the initial memories of the three shells that this world is mired in the rivalry between the White Moon Church and the Blood Sun Church. They were born after the split from the Church of Divine Light. Their powers oppose each other - one is corrupt while the other is pure.
Wielding a weapon charged with the power of the White Moon to strike a Blood Sun monster would be highly effective.
He then peered into his inventory and saw that his collection of beginner-level forging stones had impressively reached 15.
"Even if I have to shower him with them, I'll get that smith to open up his big mouth."
After exiting the mine, Lin Xun re-entered the blacksmith's shop.
[You've entered the makeshift blacksmith shop.]
[The Fallen Blacksmith, hammer in hand, doesn't bother to acknowledge you.]
He opened his inventory, selected the beginner Forging Stone, and clicked "gift".
[The Fallen Blacksmith accepts the Forging Stone, lifts his crimson eyes to yours...and continues hammering away.]
A gold digger, indeed? Well, I, for one, am flush with Forging Stones.
Lin Xun gifted him again.
...
[The Fallen Blacksmith accepts the Forging Stone, lifts his crimson eyes to yours...and continues hammering away.]
...
[The Fallen Blacksmith accepts the Forging Stone, lifts his crimson eyes to yours...and continues hammering away.]
...
[The Fallen Blacksmith accepts the Forging Stone, lifts his crimson eyes to yours...and continues hammering away.]
...
[Your beginner Forging Stones have run out. The Smith continues his monotonous hammering.]
[Would you like to gift an Intermediate Forging Stone?]
"...#￥*&%@#!! (National Curse)"
He had exhausted his supply of beginner's Forging Stones that took several hours to mine, leaving no stone unturned, quite literally.
This meant that he no longer had any means to acquire more Forging Stones.
In that moment, Lin Xun was like a gambler seeing red. He had lost all his capital and had only a single opportunity to turn things around.
This Intermediate Forging Stone was his last chip.
"To gift or not to gift. Not gifting would mean that the previous Forging Stones were all a waste. Gifting could result in even the last Intermediate Forging Stone being wasted."
Lin Xun gritted his teeth and, steeling his resolve, clicked 'gift'.
The text that appeared next sent a chill down his spine.
[The Fallen Blacksmith accepts the Intermediate Forging Stone, lifts his crimson eyes to yours. His gaze is heavy with meaning... before he lowers his head and resumes his hammering.]
What the hell? Taking money and not doing his job, huh?!
Lin Xun was downright furious; his hard work had been in vain.
Adding to the initial gift, the Fallen Blacksmith had received a total of 16 Forging Stones without giving him any attention.
Suddenly, rage surged from his heart and hatred crept into his soul!
"Has no one taught you the principle of indebtedness when you take something from another? I can't bear to favor an NPC!"
He looked at the ugly and greedy face of the blacksmith, his eyes filled with meaningful mockery.
Lin Xun opened the skill panel of the Blood Sun follower, and one single "Backstab" skill instantly killed the blacksmith.
[You carefully moved behind the blacksmith and pulled out a large two-handed sword...]
[A miserable scream echoed in the blacksmith's forge.]
[You have defeated the 'Corrupted Blacksmith', and your experience has slightly increased.]
[You have obtained 16 Forging Stones.]
[You have obtained a mid-level Forging Stone.]
Lin Xun, having avenged his grievance, felt every pore on his body opened up and a sense of satisfaction flooded his heart.
He had regained all the Forging Stones he had given away.
[You look at the 'Corrupted Blacksmith's' Shell.]
[The 'Corrupted Blacksmith's's shell used to be a blacksmith in the outskirts of the castle, but now its rear end is shattered and out of shape, dying from the cruel 'Backstab' skill. Compatibility: 92% (+25%)]
"Who needs a blacksmith? I AM a Blacksmith!"
With his current Shell slot filled, he planned to abandon the shell of the 'White Moon Church Guardian Knight'.
This Shell was too low-level and the quality of the shell was much lower than the Law Knight. It was lagging behind Lin Xun's game progress.
Before abandoning the old Shell, Lin Xun carefully removed all the equipment from the Guardian Knight's shell and put them in his inventory, and then inhabited the 'Corrupted Blacksmith's' shell.
[You have tuned into the 'Corrupted Blacksmith's' Shell.]
[You have control over this unknown shell, memories of the blacksmith's life remain in the shell.]
[The blacksmith was born into a family that has been crafting weapons for generations and he was the most famous Master Smith in Saint Lance of Moonlight Town. Unluckily, he was temporarily summoned by Lord Fox to forge weapons and armor for his soldiers. The castle's sturdy metal gates didn't protect him, and the power of corruption spread from inside the castle, claiming the blacksmith too.]
Opening the blacksmith's Shell panel.
[Shell - Corrupted Blacksmith]
[Real Name: Unknown]
[Compatibility: 92% (+25%)]
[Shell Quality: Common]
[Shell Level: 6]
[Shell Equipment: Ancestral Fine Steel Forging Hammer (Excellent+ Level). This forging hammer is a treasured heirloom passed down through generations in the blacksmith family. Forged through countless blows over several generations, this hammer carries a hereditary power. Only those of this family can use it. When used, this forging hammer has a chance to trigger a mutation during forging (creation, enhancement, repair, reforging, enchanting, etc.)]
[Shell Skill: Master Forging Skills (Rare+ Level), forging skills handed down through generations in the blacksmith family, honed through millions of hammer swings. This skill can be used on equipment of Epic quality and below.]
Lin Xun was blown away by the Shell panel of the Corrupted Blacksmith and regretted not killing him sooner.
If he had known how incredible the blacksmith was, would he have wasted time mining? He would have killed the blacksmith on the spot and inhabited his Shell.
Moreover, through the blacksmith's attributes and quality, Lin Xun roughly figured out the game's quality classification.
From low to high: Broken, Common, Excellent, Rare, Epic...
The higher level classifications were unspecifiable due to insufficient information he had at present.
The inventory contained forging materials, wolfhound's fangs, and fur.
Lin Xun tested the forging skill. The game text displayed that the equipment would be of low quality due to the single type of cultivation materials. He also found out that basic Forging Stones can only enhance Broken and Common quality equipment, while mid-level Forging Stones could enhance Excellent and Rare quality equipment.
He directly used a mid-level Forging Stone on the Dragon Hunting Spear.
[Do you want to use a mid-level Forging Stone to enhance the Broken Dragon Hunting Spear (Excellent+ Level)?]
[Enhancing...]
[Enhancement successful! The weapon's enhancement level has increased by 1 and its power has slightly improved.]
Lin Xun was satisfied looking at his Dragon Hunting Spear+1. The only regret was not being lucky enough to trigger the special effect of the forging hammer. He wondered what might happen when it did get activated.