After being left alone in the workshop hall, Han Xiao didn't start his refining work right away. Taking Ji Ying's advice to heart, he headed to the washroom to relax and clean himself up. The warm water washed away the grime and tension, leaving him feeling refreshed. After his shower, he slipped into a new silk robe that Ji Ying had provided.
As he looked at his reflection in the mirror, he couldn't help but smirk. "These features are overkill for every lady," he mused. "I'm only 13, but I look more like 18, with every muscle clearly defined." He was tall and lean, with a physique that suggested both strength and grace.
Feeling rejuvenated and more like himself, Han Xiao was ready to get to work. The workshop hall awaited, filled with possibilities and the promise of honing his weapon-crafting skills to new heights.
Looking at the red interface in his mind, he muttered, "System, show me all of my current stats, abilities—both passive and active—and all the accessories I recently gained." He knew he needed to understand his strengths and weaknesses clearly.
Ding!
[System Analyzing... please wait a moment]
"Hmm, I understand. You're just a type of organic-based nano computer-slash-AI anyway," Han Xiao mused as he sat down on the cultivation mat and waited patiently.
After a few moments, the familiar dinging sound he was expecting chimed in his ears.
[System Analysis Completed Successfully!]
[Person of Interest: The Host - Han Xiao]
[Ambitions: Immortal Cultivation and Cursing the Gods!]
[Types of Cultivation: Dual Cultivation - Body Plus Qi Cultivator!]
[Due to your Strange Malediction Physique, you practiced 'Devouring Curse Body Technique' for Body Cultivation!]
[Current Body Cultivation Stage: Viscera Training 2% Completed!]
[Qi Cultivation: You're currently practicing 'Heretic Sword Immortal Technique']
[Qi Cultivation Stage: You've cleared 50 out of 351 of the Total]
[Acupuncture Points and you're currently in Level 7 of the Pulse Condensation Realm!]
[Passive and Active Skills Gained:
- Nothing Can Hide From Me— Curse Eyes
- Poison Resistance (Level 1)
- Curse Speed Burst (+10 Agility)]
[Bloodline Skills Gained From Beasts:
- Mythical Snake Bloodline Technique (Serpentine Cloak Level 1)
- Night-crawler Bat's Ancestral Bloodline (Berserker Bloodlust Bloodline Skill Level 1)
- Saber Tooth Wolf's Ancestral Bloodline (Silver Electric Arc Level 1)]
[Skill Earned: Anti-Heavenly Curse Smithing Skill (Curse Apprentice Available!)]
[Weapons and Accessories:
- Grade 10 Sword (Suggest Refining!)
- Forbidden Curse Book
- Spatial Curse Portal Scroll
- Fallen Bamboo Stick (Now Transformed as Sheath)
- Curse Refining Cauldron]
[Total Curse Points: 7468! You've gathered enough CP. Suggest Rolling the Roulette and you can upgrade all your skills!]
"I'm not desperate enough to roll that money-grubbing machine," he spat. With a single thought, the black curse book appeared in the red interface, flipping pages until it stopped at the Anti-Heavenly Curse Smithing Skill.
The page was filled with cryptic manuscripts and intricate diagrams. As his eyes focused on the words, his tongue twisted involuntarily, and a strong nasal tone forced its way out of his throat. He began reading aloud as if possessed by a ghost.
The more he read, the deeper his mind delved into the knowledge embedded in each word. The experiences of previous cultivators who had mastered this smithing skill poured into his consciousness, manifesting as vivid virtual images. This strange state continued for five days, only ending when he recited the last word on the page.
The book vanished from the red interface, and Han Xiao's eyes turned crimson from exhaustion after experiencing the memories of seven seniors crafting weapons, each with different styles but the same foundational logic and techniques.
Unsheathing the long sword, Han Xiao declared, "I want it upgraded to grade 8 with curse inscriptions."
A pile of remains from the beasts he hunted in the Willow Trees Forest appeared before him. Without hesitation, he began melting python scales, saber-tooth wolf king claws, and bat leather wings over the kiln, reshaping the sword.
This process continued for two days, driven by a rush of energy and confidence. Soon, the melted material was poured over the sword's blade, and Han Xiao began crafting curse inscriptions to enable the weapon to store and magnify lightning-based elemental qi.
Next, he fashioned leather strips from the smelted python scales, bones, and other beast remains. The final product was a long, slightly curved sword with a lustrous black blade, two magical inscriptions on its surface, and a leather-wrapped grip.
Ding!
[You Have Successfully Upgraded The Curse Sword into a Grade 8 Weapon!]
+1000 Curse Points Awarded!
Total Curse Points: 8468!
Han Xiao observed the newly upgraded weapon in his hand and muttered, "Hmm, it's gained three times its former weight. Let's see how much it has really improved."
He recited the incantation of the Heretic Sword Immortal Technique, and the fifty already-cleared acupuncture points in his body released a strong stream of dark mist qi.
As he infused the pure Curse Qi into the sword, it reacted by buzzing at a certain frequency. Multiple straight black lines appeared on its surface as one inscription design lit up. "Good, the inscription is working fine." The function of any inscription on a weapon was to absorb, store, and magnify certain types of elemental qi.
"But the question is: can I really test the current power of my sword? Hmm, whatever, this place is the best in town. If something goes wrong, I'll easily get away with the Golden card."
With that thought, he leaped and began a set of sword techniques, slashing toward a tough-looking wall with a loud cry. A wave of black energy, the length of the blade, was released from the sword and struck the wall. Along with that strong force, it also contained a certain level of sword intent.
Bang! With a loud bang, a small tremor shook the room, then dissipated as if a stone was thrown into a vast ocean. The only evidence of the attack was a three-inch-long scar, two centimeters deep, etched into the wall.
Han Xiao stared at the crack in the wall, his mind racing. This power... it's incredible. The inscription really works, and the sword's potential is far beyond what I imagined. But it's still not enough. If this is what a Grade 8 weapon can do, then I need to push for even higher. I need to become stronger, craft even more powerful weapons, and truly harness the curse energy within me.
He tightened his grip on the sword, feeling the weight and the newfound power. One step at a time, Han Xiao. You're on the right path. Keep pushing, keep refining, and soon, you'll be unstoppable.