C35 Broken Blade
Ding! Awakening mission complete. Rewards have been distributed.
Beep! Host, you have a three-hour grace period. You may choose to return at any time within this window. After three hours, return will be mandatory!
Upon hearing the system's notification that the awakening mission was complete, Qin Buyi could finally let his guard down a bit after the intense past six months.
Qin Buyi's vision momentarily blurred, and when it cleared, he found himself outside the Firmament Soaring Hall, exactly as he had been when he first entered half a year earlier. The hall's doors were shut tight, seemingly untouched, and the exterior bore the scars of many battles.
The events of the last half-year felt like a dream, but Qin Buyi knew for certain it was not. He inwardly marveled at the system's capabilities and reflected on his time in the Awakening Secret Realm, which had been incredibly fruitful.
He had mastered the essence of both the first and second moves of the Slaughtering Saber Technique and had charted his path to further advancement. Moreover, he had acquired the fourth move of the Killing Saber Technique: Soul Dispersing.
Soul Dispersing was an attack that targeted Divine Consciousness. As a cultivator's power grew, so too did their chances of survival. At this level, the physical body's destruction wasn't enough to kill a cultivator with a potent Divine Consciousness; as long as it could flee, it could seize any mortal vessel and be reborn.
Starting over with the physical cultivation was a minor setback for cultivators at this stage, given that sufficient resources could expedite the process of regaining their power. It was merely a question of time.
Soul Dispersing was designed to obliterate a cultivator's Divine Consciousness, ensuring that even the most powerful would meet a true death, inside and out.
Upon reviewing the details of Soul Dispersing, a glint of excitement sparked in Qin Buyi's eyes. This technique would significantly boost his combat prowess, especially since his Divine Consciousness had already exceeded the Deification Stage and attained the might of the Void Refining Stage. With the Divine Consciousness of the Void Refining Stage coupled with Soul Dispersing, Qin Buyi would be unstoppable, as fearsome as a tiger sprouting wings.
"The Awakening Secret Realm may be fraught with danger, but the rewards are clear and significant."
Qin Buyi was in high spirits, yet the thought of the system's layered schemes, akin to a multi-layered pastry, prompted him to summon it.
"System, show yourself!" Qin Buyi called out forcefully.
[At your service, Host. I'm delighted to assist you!] The system responded with a tinge of obsequiousness.
Irritated by the system's response, Qin Buyi couldn't hide his annoyance:
"Shouldn't you owe me an explanation?"
[Host, what sort of explanation do you require?] The system inquired, feigning confusion.
Qin Buyi, not one to mince words, confronted the system directly:
"One hundred and seventy attribute points, that's the equivalent of 17 million Low Grade Spirit Stones, just for suppressing a bit of killing intent?"
[Host, you must understand, suppressing killing intent requires a significant amount of energy. The price is quite reasonable. Do you find it too low? Shall I increase it?]
The system's attitude was unyielding, almost threatening.
Qin Buyi was certain that if he pushed the issue, the system would jack up the price, a situation he wanted to avoid as it would be counterproductive.
After mentally berating the system, Qin Buyi made the decisive choice to remain silent and stop engaging with it.
Noticing Qin Buyi's reticence, the system offered a consolatory remark:
Host, in light of your commendable performance this time, I'll answer one question for you, free of charge.
With a mind brimming with queries, Qin Buyi seized the opportunity and immediately asked, "Is Haotian still alive after the final battle at the Heavenly Court?"
This was the most pressing question for Qin Buyi. If Haotian was still alive, holding onto his weapon would inevitably lead to trouble.
Who knew what Haotian's temperament was like? If Qin Buyi caught him on a bad day and ended up killed, it would be a grave injustice.
"You said you'd answer a question for free, so why can't you tell me?" Qin Buyi asked, somewhat exasperated.
[Free answers are like free lunches—how often are they satisfying? Choose another question.] The system retorted with brazen confidence.
Qin Buyi mentally commended the system's audacity and pressed on, "What happened in ancient times?"
[Host, your authority level is insufficient to receive that information!]
Host, let's not dwell on that. I'll answer a different question for you.
Qin Buyi stood rooted to the spot for a long while before he finally spoke, "Is that so? I'm not even allowed to ask?"
The crux of the matter was the two questions you posed. One answer lies within you, and the other, if known to you now, would only hasten your demise.
Let's begin with a random answer. I'll explain the role of fortune in your attributes. Fortune, as the name suggests, is meant to improve your luck, increasing your chances of finding treasures and opportunities.
In the Late Period, it's even possible that a random stone you pick up could be a celestial treasure. That's the end of the explanation. Don't summon me unless it's necessary.
The system fell into a swift silence after the explanation. At that moment, Qin Buyi couldn't help but offer a sarcastic retort:
"Such profound wisdom. It's like gaining a decade's worth of knowledge in a single conversation. If I can't find a treasure when my cultivation is strong enough, you owe me one."
Despite his words, Qin Buyi had to acknowledge his good fortune for his survival.
Any ordinary person attempting what Qin Buyi did—splitting half of their Divine Consciousness and shattering it—would surely perish.
Qin Buyi's survival was partly due to luck and partly due to his extraordinary attributes. Each attribute was at its peak, with no weaknesses.
Qin Buyi didn't dwell on the system's lackluster explanation. Instead, he pondered the information it might have intentionally or unintentionally revealed.
"One of the questions I asked was about myself. What does that mean?" Qin Buyi mused.
Despite racking his brain, he couldn't come to a conclusion and decided to set it aside for the time being.
The awakening mission had awarded him ten attribute points and a fragment of the Broken Blade.
Qin Buyi retrieved the shard of the Broken Blade from his Storage Space.
In the final scenes depicted on the Stairway to Heaven, Qin Buyi had seen the Killing Saber shatter from tip to hilt.
It appeared that this fragment was the very tip of the Killing Saber.
Holding the intact Killing Saber in one hand and the broken tip in the other, Qin Buyi wore a look of confusion, unable to make sense of it even after a long time.
"System, I need an explanation. What's happening here?" Qin Buyi inwardly summoned the system with a hint of confusion.
The response came in a sly whisper, "It's quite simple, but answering this question will cost you ten attribute points."
"You're charging me? Didn't you just offer to answer a question for free?" Qin Buyi asked, trying to keep his irritation in check.
"That question has already been answered," the system replied, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.
"Seriously? That's what you call an answer? You've got some nerve," Qin Buyi retorted, clearly annoyed.
"Cough, cough—let's not rush, Host. You do have a point. I'll provide this answer on the house," the system conceded, adopting a more accommodating tone.
"The Killing Saber you're holding, though I've put considerable effort into forging it, is merely a shell. It lacks the full might it once possessed at its peak. Simply place the broken tip in its rightful spot, and I'll handle the fusion. No charge!"
The system stressed the word 'free,' seemingly aware of its earlier misstep and eager to make amends with Qin Buyi.
Qin Buyi listened to the system's nonchalant explanation, his surprise not rooted in doubt of the system's capabilities—he had always trusted in its power. What truly astonished him was the realization that the Killing Saber, a weapon of top-tier caliber, wasn't whole.
With a sense of longing, he aligned the shattered blade tip with the Killing Saber's tip. The two pieces met seamlessly, blending together effortlessly.
As the blade tip fully integrated with the Killing Saber, the weapon trembled and emitted a resonant hum—Zheng!
Holding the reformed Killing Saber, Qin Buyi sensed a marked change; the aura of lethality it exuded was now more intense. Consulting the weapon's status panel, he noted a significant enhancement—a 10% boost in attack power.
A mere fragment had yielded such an increase; the implications were staggering. The more advanced one's cultivation, the more profound the impact of such an enhancement would be. In that moment, Qin Buyi's anticipation grew. What would be the full potential of the Killing Saber once all its fragments were reunited?
A single shard granting a 10% boost to attack power is a truly terrifying prospect; the higher one's cultivation level, the more pronounced this fearsome enhancement becomes. At this moment, Qin Buyi's heart is filled with anticipation for the amplification effect he could achieve by gathering all the fragments of the Killing Saber.
Having advanced his Killing Saber Technique to the Fourth Rank, Qin Buyi allocated ten attribute points to himself and accessed his personal information panel:
Name: Qin Buyi
Desolate Body - Primary
All Attributes Increase: 5%
Cultivation: Fourth Rank - Deification Middle Period (164/200)
Strength: 164
Speed: 164
Physical Strength: 164
Attack: 164
Defense: 164
Fortune: 164
...
Killing Saber - Fourth Rank (164/200)
Broken Blade (1/9)
Attack Increase: 10%
Attack: 164
Killing Saber Technique - Fourth Rank (164/200)
Attack: 164
Azure Dragon - Fourth Rank (164/200)
