Chapter Fifty-Nine: The Sword Heart Made Clear

“So it seems our adventuring band has made something of a name for itself after all.”

Apollo laughed heartily.

Murong Xun said nothing, only watched him.

“You give me a very sharp impression, like a blade just drawn from its sheath. You’re a close-combat fighter, aren’t you?”

Apollo answered his own question with a grin.

Murong Xun remained silent, simply looking at him.

At present, his condition was indeed enough to fool any expert.

“At first, I was prepared to pay forty to fifty thousand Paradise Coins for each set of your armor. But now I think we can do things a different way.”

Apollo looked at him with confidence.

Murong Xun said nothing, but he understood that the other man was most likely planning a trade of goods.

This was actually the method he liked best. That way, he would not need to go searching for what he wanted on his own.

If he sold something, he would still have to turn around and buy what he needed anyway. It was far more convenient to get it all done in one step.

“This!”

Apollo produced a scroll and showed him its attributes.

[Sword Heart Illumination: the mind’s eye perceives all, and my heart is bright and clear.]

[Quality: Excellent]

[Type: Passive Skill]

[Effect 1: Greatly enhances perception. In close combat, you can predict the enemy’s attacks, and there is a chance to block attacks from behind.]

[Effect 2: In melee combat, you can detect an opponent’s openings. This effect requires proficiency in bladed weapons. Sword mastery at Lv 19 is sufficient.]

[Evaluation: Battles do not necessarily require the eyes. The eyes can deceive; the heart cannot.]

The moment Murong Xun saw the scroll, his gaze almost stuck to it.

This was exactly what he needed.

It enhanced perception, allowed one to catch an enemy’s openings, could predict attacks, and even defend against ambushes from behind. For a close-combat fighter like him, it was a masterpiece.

Most importantly, a passive ability would continue to work once learned, without any consumption of energy. Even more importantly, passive skills would remain effective in the real world.

For a lone wanderer like Murong Xun, obtaining this meant the odds of being ambushed would drop, indirectly improving his chances of survival.

“Good stuff. But it still isn’t enough to trade for all my equipment.”

Though he desperately wanted the skill, Murong Xun naturally understood the value of an entire set of armor.

“Of course. One skill can’t exchange for a friend’s equipment. But you should also understand how rare a skill scroll is, let alone a passive one. This thing is worth more than double an active skill. You should admit that much, shouldn’t you?”

Apollo said with a smile.

“True enough.”

Though he wanted to drive the price down, Murong Xun would not pretend not to know the truth.

Passive skills were indeed precious. If his armor had not been a complete set, it really would not be enough to trade for a passive skill.

The two of them then began bargaining.

“Arguing won’t get us anywhere. How about this: let’s each step back a little. I’ll price this scroll at twenty thousand. What do you think?”

Apollo’s tone carried a hint of pleading.

“These pieces of equipment are for my brothers. I’m asking you, please.”

As a figure with a reputation even in Tier Two, Apollo’s attitude was beyond sincere. That alone showed just how much he valued those five sets of equipment.

“Twenty thousand is a bit steep, but since I need it, I’ll agree.”

Murong Xun nodded.

“I don’t want to haggle endlessly over something pointless. In that case, let’s do it like this: this scroll plus one hundred eighty thousand Paradise Coins.”

The moment Murong Xun relented, Apollo visibly relaxed. He quickly handed over the goods, and the trade was completed.

Why had he insisted on valuing the scroll at twenty thousand?

Because his group had only managed to pool together one hundred eighty thousand, and they truly could not scrape out the remaining twenty thousand.

“May I ask your name, friend?”

Having completed the trade, Apollo was in excellent spirits. With these five sets of armor, the strength of his group would rise yet another step, and the survivability of those four oddballs would become even more terrifying.

“Chef.”

Murong Xun gave his false name.

“Let’s exchange contact information. If we come across anything good in the future, we’ll keep it aside for you. And if we have friends who need something, you’ll be our first consideration too.”

Having achieved his goal, Apollo looked very pleased, showing no trace of pain at having spent one hundred eighty thousand Paradise Coins in a single breath.

Murong Xun nodded and exchanged contact information with him.

It really was easier to acquire what he needed by dealing with people like them.

In the end, the last item, the Eye of Piercing Truth and Blood, was also bought by someone for five thousand Paradise Coins. By then, all of his goods had been sold.

When he looked at the amount of Paradise Coins he now possessed, even Murong Xun was momentarily stunned: 255,433.

Still, this was not the time to spend money. He planned to strengthen the attributes he had just obtained first.

More than ten minutes later, after taking the city bus, he arrived at the central district of the Magic Tower: the Attribute Enhancement Hall.

The moment Murong Xun stepped inside, the tower’s prompt appeared.

[Welcome to the Attribute Enhancement Chamber. Please pay 100 Paradise Coins as the activation fee.]

Murong Xun paid without hesitation, and his three core attributes appeared before him.

Essence: 2.4

Qi: 2.4

Spirit: 2.4

These were his base values without any additional modifiers. His last two attributes had originally been only 2.3, but Murong Xun had used the devouring ability of the ghoul housed within his Primordial Spirit Gloves to swallow a considerable number of vampires. Those creatures were all equivalent to first-tier beings. Even if the feedback he received later was only a small portion, it still raised his attributes.

This time, he had gained three points in total. There was nothing to hesitate over. He chose to distribute them evenly.

[Attribute allocation complete. Enhancement commencing. Would you like to enable the anesthesia function?]

“No.”

The enhancement chamber began operating, and a bone-deep chill slowly spread through his body. Yet Murong Xun, who had already experienced the embrace of death many times, made no sound and silently endured it all.

His skin began to redden, cold sweat poured down his forehead, but even so, he clenched his teeth and refused to cry out.

After being tempered by two worlds, his willpower was no longer what it had once been.

How long he endured in that searing pain, he did not know. By the time the enhancement was complete, Murong Xun looked as though he had just been hauled from water. When he stepped out of the chamber, even his clothes were dripping wet.

At this point, his base attributes had become:

Essence: 3.4

Qi: 3.4

Spirit: 3.4

After the enhancement was done, Murong Xun did not hurry to leave the hall. With his strength having risen significantly in a single step, he had once again fallen into the state of being unable to fully control his own power.

It seemed he would need to go simulate some combat.

However, he did not head there immediately. Instead, he first took out the newly acquired Sword Heart Illumination and learned it.

[You have mastered Sword Heart Illumination!]

[Level: Beginner Lv 1]

[Effect 1: Greatly increases perception. 3% chance to sense attacks from behind!]

[Effect 2: 1% chance to detect an enemy’s opening. Upon a successful detection, striking that opening will deal five times damage.]