C27 Glaze Blade
"Kid, let's join forces to pry open this stone sarcophagus!" After much contemplation, the jackal seemed to feel a sense of camaraderie with Jiang Xiaofan, which surprisingly led to a sense of trust. It believed that Jiang Xiaofan wasn't the type to harm others for personal gain.
What it didn't realize, though, was that Jiang Xiaofan wasn't after its life, but rather everything it had!
He wanted to claim it for himself!
As distasteful as that was, it was the plain truth.
Jiang Xiaofan looked up at the jackal, his spirits lifted.
He hadn't anticipated that his stubborn fixation would actually endear him to the jackal, especially considering that the creature had initially intended to use him as expendable bait.
He gave a nod. With the time of the Battle Martial Body still ticking, he quickly channeled the Martial Qi throughout his body, focusing it into his right fist!
The jackal took action as well. Its massive frame thrummed with energy, its head held high as robust power gathered in its maw!
"Break!"
At the jackal's roar, Jiang Xiaofan unleashed his Vibration Wind Boxing. The punch sent a powerful gust that, thanks to the technique's unique properties, momentarily weakened the force field around the sarcophagus!
In that brief instant!
A gust slammed into the sarcophagus, and with a dull thud, a surge of energy rippled out, forcing Jiang Xiaofan and the jackal to stagger back!
They braced themselves against the chamber's walls, both panting heavily, having given their all without reservation.
Their efforts were rewarded!
As their combined forces collided with the sarcophagus, they watched as the lid slid open at a visibly rapid pace, eventually revealing more than half of its contents.
As the gusts subsided, Jiang Xiaofan and the jackal exchanged glances and approached the sarcophagus together.
The mystery of what lay within filled them with eager anticipation. But as they peered inside, both were taken aback.
Inside the sarcophagus lay an old man, seemingly in his twilight years, with a complexion so rosy that, were it not for the setting of a tomb, Jiang Xiaofan might have mistaken him for merely taking a brief rest.
Jiang Xiaofan remained perfectly still, wary that even the slightest noise might awaken the elder.
"This Henzhu was such a miser! To think he was buried with so little, despite being an Immortal Rank refiner," the jackal grumbled discontentedly.
True, the elder wore nothing but a plain white robe, now frayed with age, and aside from his body, the stone coffin held no other possessions.
A subtle smirk played on Jiang Xiaofan's lips. Little did he know, the true treasure was the coffin itself, which was worth far more than the weapons outside—by tens of thousands of times!
Luckily, the jackal was none the wiser. Otherwise, it would have surely contested Jiang Xiaofan for the coffin!
Once the stone coffin was opened and its vast Spiritual Energy dissipated, Jiang Xiaofan remained unfazed. That energy was merely the Spiritual Qi of Heaven and Earth accumulated over the years. It was a shame to lose it, but with the coffin in his possession, he could harness endless Spiritual Qi.
Now just an ordinary object without its protective power, the stone coffin could be stored in Jiang Xiaofan's ring—a fortunate thing, considering the investment he had made. Otherwise, he wouldn't have been able to transport it.
Jiang Xiaofan bowed respectfully to the elder, whispering, "Senior, please forgive me. I require your strength."
"Why all the talk? If there's nothing here, just leave with me," the jackal snapped, clearly irritated.
Turning to face the jackal, Jiang Xiaofan inquired, "Do you feed on weapons?"
The jackal let out a cold laugh. "Indeed. The spirit energy refined by weapon smiths is pure and sustains our jackal kind. So, do you have any?"
Jiang Xiaofan nodded, his smile broadening. "What if I said I could supply you with a plethora of weapons, ranging from Yellow Rank to Profound Level? Would you accompany me then?"
"You?"
The jackal eyed Jiang Xiaofan skeptically, his shabby appearance casting doubt on his claim.
"I'm studying weapon refinement. The weapons I'll forge in the future will surely be enough for a feast. Besides..."
Jiang Xiaofan summoned the Hundred Refining Cauldron, and a mysterious force enveloped both of them. He ingested a Jade Clear Pill and retrieved several spiritual herbs from his storage ring. The herbs floated mid-air as he unleashed his Martial Qi, melting them instantly. Within a mere thirty seconds, a Profound Level First Grade pill materialized before him.
He reached out, catching the pill in his palm. With a grin, Jiang Xiaofan said, "With this Profound Level First Grade Nine Wind Pill, trading for a high-grade Yellow Rank weapon should be a breeze. And even if I can't craft a weapon, this pill alone can sustain you."
The jackal eyed the pill in Jiang Xiaofan's hand skeptically. It had dismissed his earlier claim of learning weapon forging, as it too had some knowledge in the art and could even create Yellow Rank weapons. However, the quality of Jiang Xiaofan's pill left it astounded.
A mere youth, yet a Profound Level Pharmacist? Such a phenomenon hadn't graced the continent in decades. The jackal could tell that the pill was of exceptional quality, a top-tier First Grade of the Profound Level, indeed valuable enough to trade for a weapon of the Eighth Grade or higher.
The jackal realized that with dedication, Jiang Xiaofan's skills would soon become remarkable, providing it with an arsenal of weapons, the very tools necessary for his growth.
Silence hung between them, with Jiang Xiaofan feeling uncertain, his lack of experience possibly failing to impress the jackal.
As he was about to present the Myriad Spirit Absorbing Pill, the jackal finally spoke, "What do you want from me?"
Jiang Xiaofan paused, taken aback. "What?"
With a weary sigh, the jackal repeated, "What do you want me to do?"
Joy and surprise washed over Jiang Xiaofan. He quickly responded, "I'm asking you to be my partner. Together, we'll share in the good times and face any challenges that come our way!"
Jiang Xiaofan spoke with a sense of righteousness, yet the jackal wasn't fooled by his sly undertones.
"Every man for himself, or face the wrath of the heavens!" it declared.
The jackal's form began to shrink as it stated, "Fine, from this day forward, I'll accompany you for six months. But if you disappoint me, I reserve the right to leave at any moment!"
"No problem! Let's get going!" Jiang Xiaofan said with a clap of his hands, advancing toward the jackal.
Now only knee-high, the jackal backed away from the steadily approaching Jiang Xiaofan, asking nervously, "What... what are you planning to do?"
Jiang Xiaofan flashed a mischievous smile, "Why, I'm about to... engage in some enjoyable activities..."
"Damn it! You freak!"
Jiang Xiaofan produced a short dagger, ran it across his fingertip, and pressed the bloody print onto the jackal's forehead. A soft glow then began to swirl around the creature.
Seconds later, with a flash of light, the jackal merged into Jiang Xiaofan's chest.
"Ding!"
"System Prompt: Congratulations on completing the task of taming the jackal (Difficulty: S), unlocking the pet space, and earning +80 Points, a Glaze Blade, and the Concealment Spell."
The Concealment Spell: A technique to suppress one's Martial Qi, making it difficult for others to gauge your true power.
...
The Concealment Spell was a real gem, perfect for concealing one's abilities. It would allow Jiang Xiaofan to catch his enemies off-guard and strike a devastating blow.
Without hesitation, Jiang Xiaofan mastered the skill, adding another to his arsenal.
He then examined the Glaze Blade's properties in his inventory.
Glaze Blade (Tenth Grade of the Profound Level)
Damage: ★★★★★★★★☆
Effect 1: Glaze Blade Qi, which inflicts damage on the enemy's soul during physical attacks, causing their Martial Qi to rapidly dissipate.
Effect 2: Absorbs Martial Qi released from the Glaze Slash, concentrating it in the blade, which can then be used in place of one's own Martial Qi.
...
Holy smokes!
A whopping eight and a half stars of raw power! Plus, it comes with an incredible skill like the Glaze Blade Qi!
Jiang Xiaofan nearly let out a cry. As he reached to draw his Glaze Blade, his body jolted in shock—the jackal had somehow gotten into his storage ring and snatched the blade right out!
In a flash, he summoned the jackal, which emerged with the Glaze Blade clamped in its jaws, mumbling smugly, "Hehehe, you're too kind, handing over such a fine gift right off the bat."
"Scram! Give it back!" Jiang Xiaofan lunged forward, seizing the Glaze Blade's hilt.
"It's mere Tenth Grade Profound Level trash, might as well serve as a chew toy," the jackal sneered, its lethal teeth gleaming ominously.
"Don't you dare chew on it! I'll give you ten Tenth Grade Profound Level weapons later!" Jiang Xiaofan blurted out in desperation.
Crafting Tenth Grade Profound Level weapons was only a matter of time for him, but without his Blazing Sword and the Iron Chestnut Pear Blossom Spear reserved for Jiang Nianrui, he couldn't afford to let this handy weapon be wasted by the jackal!
The jackal's grin widened, "Ten? Not a chance, unless you cough up a hundred thousand!"
"Damn it! What do you think I am, a wholesaler? A hundred thousand? You might as well rob me! Wait, wait, wait, that's way too much. How about a discount?"
"Fifty percent!"
"Fifty thousand?!"
"It's a deal!"
"Damn it!"
With the jackal finally easing its grip, Jiang Xiaofan collapsed onto the ground, too rushed to even tend to his sore backside. He examined the Glaze Blade from every angle, finally exhaling a deep breath of relief.
Thankfully, the Glaze Blade, being Tenth Grade Equipment, was durable enough not to shatter in the jackal's maw, but the thought of procuring fifty thousand Tenth Grade Profound Level weapons made his wallet weep.
The jackal's triumphant, smug expression was enough to make Jiang Xiaofan feel a surge of helplessness and frustration.
System, oh system! Are you on my side, or are you just setting me up?
A Demon Beast at the Profound Martial Stage, and you expect me to sustain it with half a million Tenth Grade Profound Martial weapons!
That's outrageous!
Absolutely mad!
"Brother, I was thinking..."
In an instant, the jackal transformed into a beam of white light and swiftly retreated back into Jiang Xiaofan's body, ignoring all of Jiang Xiaofan's calls to come out.
And to think he mistook the jackal for some kind of divine creature, when it's nothing but a shameless, ferocious beast!
He should have consulted the almanac before leaving home today; then he might have avoided tumbling into that cave and encountering such a bloodsucking terror!
After muttering a few curses, Jiang Xiaofan lifted the Glaze Blade, inspecting it closely.
The blade was a work of art, forged from a unique, transparent mineral that shimmered like a diamond, complete with countless precise facets.
Clutching the Glaze Blade, he could sense a continuous stream of Martial Qi swirling around it.
What a fantastic find!
But the blade seemed almost too ornate, and Jiang Xiaofan worried it might not be practical. To test it, he took a swing at a nearby stone stump!
With a flash of the blade, the fierce Martial Qi burst forth, enveloping the blade as it cleaved downward!
The stone split like clay, cleanly severed into two pieces. Jiang Xiaofan was taken aback. Was that really stone?
He felt it with his hands, confirming its stony reality, and couldn't help but exclaim in admiration.
"This blade is incredible!"
...
Jiang Xiaofan glanced at the jackal in his pet space, a smirk forming on his lips. With this powerful new ally, he was over the moon!
Jackal
Level: 40
Quality: Supreme
Description: An orphan of the jackal clan that feeds on iron ore. Should it master the Great Dao, it has the power to make the world tremble.
...
Reviewing the jackal's stats, Jiang Xiaofan's excitement grew. It possessed the might of a Tenth Level Profound Martial!
So strong!
Truly formidable!
And with its supreme quality, he had struck it rich this time!
