C10 Relic

Tantrum had once come across a news story about a farmer who unearthed an ancient sword from the Warring States period. Unaware of its antiquity, the farmer sharpened it and used it as a kitchen knife. Consequently, the sword, which was worth a million yuan, was rendered worthless by his sharpening.

Tantrum believed that an ancient sword shattered into four pieces and then reforged couldn't possibly be valued at a million yuan. Yet, he never claimed the sword was a forgery. In fact, Tantrum suspected it might be a sword of renown. Despite being broken, the sword had been meticulously reforged, a testament to the blacksmith's mastery. If the ancient runes hadn't also been split into four, Tantrum, despite his keen perception, would have struggled to detect the reforging. This suggested that the sword's original owner had cherished it deeply.

Unfortunately, the man in the raincoat, plagued by a guilty conscience, had attacked Elder Qi and was subsequently apprehended by Tantrum. Tantrum was indifferent to how Gu Qianqian dealt with the man or the million-dollar Qin Army auction ticket. However, he was intent on keeping the ancient sword for himself, to practice his Relic Arts and to empower it as his first Relic.

The Ancient Bronze Sword, shrouded in intricate yellow runes, was a superior artifact among level 3 antiques. While not on par with the Dragon Gallbladder Bright Silver Spear, once imbued as a Relic, it would become Tantrum's ace in the hole.

"Do you want this Ancient Bronze Sword?" Gu Qianqian hesitated upon hearing Tantrum's request. But recalling how he had saved her from a million yuan loss, she eventually nodded in agreement.

Tantrum had not only recouped a million yuan for her but also personally subdued the man in the raincoat. Handing him over to the Qin Army would secure a ticket to their auction, valued at a million yuan. Considering Tantrum's significant efforts, his claim to the Ancient Bronze Sword was unquestionably justified.

Elder Qi naturally had no objections to Tantrum's actions; after all, Tantrum had saved his life. Hee Ming, however, spoke out in protest, "Why should you get to take it? This Ancient Bronze Sword is a genuine artifact from the Warring States period. Even though it's been broken into four pieces, reducing its value, it's still worth at least a hundred thousand." His words dripped with a sour jealousy towards Tantrum.

Tantrum paid Hee Ming no mind. With nods of approval from Gu Qianqian and Elder Qi, the Ancient Bronze Sword was his. Hee Ming's opinion, that of a minor character, couldn't change the outcome. Tantrum simply turned and walked away with the sword, oblivious to Hee Ming's scowling face, which looked as if it could drip ink.

Back in his room, Tantrum locked the door and gently laid the Ancient Bronze Sword on a piece of soft cloth. He pondered the process of imbuing an antique with the power to become a Relic, carefully considering his next steps. This was his first attempt at such an enhancement, and he knew he had to proceed with caution to avoid any errors.

The thought of possessing his very own Relic filled Tantrum with excitement. For a Relic Arts Master, having a Relic was a game-changer. A Relic was akin to a soldier's spear, a magician's staff, or a priest's magical instrument—it was the key to unlocking the full potential of a Relic Arts Master's abilities.

The technique to transform an antique into a Relic was intricate. It required the Relic Arts Master to project their perception outward, enveloping the antique's runes, then tuning their perception's frequency to match that of the runes, achieving a complete integration.

Next, they had to imprint their essence onto the runes, leaving behind a fragment of their perception to merge with the runes and unlock the artifact's power. Successfully completing these steps meant the creation of a true Relic.

Enhancing a Relic came with its challenges, particularly the intensity of one's perception. Without a perception strong enough to fully encompass the runes, success was impossible. Tantrum had struggled with this in the past, but the advent of the small cauldron had boosted his perception to thirty feet, just enough to meet the threshold for Relic augmentation.

The second step was to alter the frequency of his perception.

This posed a significant challenge to the Relic Arts Master's innate gift, demanding a formidable ability to manipulate perception.

Once these two issues were addressed, an antique could be transformed into a Relic. Since each Relic required a portion of the master's perception to be divided, a Relic Arts Master typically could possess only two or three Relics in their lifetime. Having too many would harm their perception, stunting their cultivation progress and potentially causing it to decline.

Hence, the Relic Arts Master must exercise extreme caution when deciding which antiques to enhance into Relics, with a preference for weapon-type antiques such as swords, spears, sabers, and lances.

The timely emergence of the Ancient Bronze Sword was particularly fortuitous for Tantrum.

With a clear understanding of the sequence and necessary precautions, Tantrum inhaled deeply and commenced his attempt.

He wielded his perception, inching closer to the Ancient Bronze Sword's runes.

The sword's runes were intricate, composed of lines that enveloped it entirely, resembling a stream of golden light.

Tantrum's perception, on the other hand, was like another ribbon, methodically encasing each rune.

It wasn't until nearly all of Tantrum's thirty-foot range of perception was depleted that he succeeded in covering every rune. Had the runes been any more complex, he would have run out of perception.

After completing this task, Tantrum set about fine-tuning the frequency of his perception to match that of the runes.

This adjustment was a lengthy and energy-draining endeavor, and it wasn't until the evening shadows fell that Tantrum exhaled a long breath, having finally finished tuning his perception frequency.

What followed was crucial: imprinting his own mark within the runes, leaving behind a fragment of his perception to merge with the ancient sword and awaken its latent power.

With no room for error, Tantrum's hands swiftly formed seals, culminating in a plum blossom imprint that he gently pressed onto the rune.

Instantly, ripples spread like the concentric waves from a pebble dropped into a pond, and Tantrum was struck by an extraordinary sensation.

It was as though he had gained an extra pair of hands or, perhaps, an external embodiment of himself.

The brand took hold on the very first attempt!

Tantrum, containing his thrill, swiftly withdrew most of his perception, then, with the remnants, he pressed the runes firmly against the Ancient Bronze Sword's blade.

His actions set off a cascade of ripples, emanating a soft yellow glow. The room was instantly transformed, as if submerged in an otherworldly aquatic realm, both stunning and eerie.

"Merge!"

When the final rune stubbornly resisted blending with the Ancient Bronze Sword, Tantrum let out an impatient huff, pushed down with both hands, and forcefully embedded all the runes into the blade.

Clang!

A resonant, clear ring of the sword filled the air, as intense yellow light burst forth from the blade, radiating like a miniature sun.

Witnessing the spectacle, Tantrum was ecstatic.

The Relic's empowerment was a success!