C7 Increase in Perception

"Miss, this individual clearly isn't giving it his all; he's merely toying with us. It's hard to gauge his true level, but his skills are undoubtedly impressive. To defeat him, I'd need to exert at least thirty percent of my power," Wang Shu stated earnestly.

"So, even you, a distinguished heir of ancient martial arts and the master of the Luohe Sect, would need to use thirty percent of your strength? He must be a practitioner of ancient martial arts as well. I'm interested in recruiting him," the second lady said with a smile, then inquired, "How does he stack up against Wang Meng?"

"He's nowhere close to Wang Meng, who is simply formidable. Soon, he'll likely become the first True Stage Ancient Martial Artist under the young miss's command. However, this man is certainly worth your attention, Miss. It would be an honor for him to be considered by you, and I'm confident he'll accept the offer," Wang Shu reflected for a moment before responding.

"Not as skilled as Wang Meng? Yet, why do I sense he could be of great use to me, perhaps even aiding me in surpassing my elder sister? Curious..." the woman pondered aloud. After a pause, she turned to the man on her right, "Wang Zhi, investigate him for me. Once I'm through with my current commitments, I'll visit him personally. The Yang family can't be dictated by my sister alone. I have a feeling he could be the key to changing everything for me..."

Their conversation was interrupted as the fight in the alleyway concluded. Apart from Daniu, who had kept his distance and remained uninvolved, the other four combatants lay on the ground, moaning and unable to rise.

Tantrum brushed the dust from his clothes, gave Daniu a wry smile, and said, "Tell your boss if he sends anyone after me again, I won't hesitate to take the fight right to your doorstep!"

With that, Tantrum strode away, no longer on guard, heading directly back to the antique shop.

Once at Gu's Antique Shop, Tantrum secluded himself in his room, cradling the small cauldron tenderly in his hands. Under his scrutiny, the cauldron radiated an almost dazzling black light, its intricate runes captivating enough to ensnare one's gaze.

"What era does this ancient cauldron belong to? And why are there black runes on it? The manual doesn't mention any black runes; the highest level recorded is purple. Even Zhao Zilong wielded his Dragon Gallbladder Bright Silver Spear for a lifetime and it was only ever green. This little cauldron must have a significant history..." Tantrum's eyes gleamed with excitement. At first glance, the cauldron seemed unremarkable—shrouded in black, no larger than a fist, devoid of any ornate patterns. Yet, upon closer inspection, one could discern numerous delicate engravings, likely worn smooth by the passage of time.

"Could these black runes be harnessed to practice Relic Arts? My own skills are rudimentary, at level one, and I'm not equipped to utilize higher-level runes for cultivation. But attempting it shouldn't pose a problem, should it?" Tantrum whispered to himself, his voice tinged with uncertainty. Overcome by curiosity, he cautiously extended his perception towards the cauldron.

The moment his perception touched the black runes encircling the cauldron, Tantrum felt as though he had been transported into an expansive cosmic expanse, enveloped by a colossal vortex of stars. It was as if he had been thrust back to the dawn of creation. Without a moment to react, he suddenly lost consciousness.

Time passed indeterminately before Tantrum jolted awake with a shudder.

"Where's the cauldron?!"

Upon regaining consciousness, Tantrum was alarmed to discover the mysterious cauldron had vanished from his grasp.

The door was locked from the inside; it was impossible for anyone to have entered. He searched frantically, overturning every possible hiding spot in a desperate bid to locate the cauldron. Despite his efforts, it was as if the cauldron had never existed—without a trace.

Tantrum forced himself to calm down and meticulously reconsidered any places he might have overlooked, but to no avail. The cauldron seemed to have truly vanished into thin air.

"All I did was reach out with my perception to touch the cauldron's runes, and then I blacked out... Logically, that shouldn't have happened. Even if my perception was too strong to engage with the cauldron's runes for cultivation, I would have expected no effect, a mere repulsion at most. But the sensation I experienced..."

"It's like a fusion!"

A curious glint appeared in Tantrum's eyes as he assessed his body, finding nothing out of the ordinary.

The only difference he could discern was an extraordinary surge of energy within him, as if he possessed an inexhaustible supply. He felt as though he could go days and nights without sleep and not suffer any ill effects.

Strong mental energy equated to heightened senses!

Sensing something profound, Tantrum immediately sat down cross-legged and extended his perception.

The next instant, he was taken aback.

His perception, once limited to a mere three feet from his body and as fine as a hair, had now grown at least tenfold. It enveloped him, reaching outward to a distance of thirty feet.

Tantrum drew in a sharp breath, his eyes blazing with excitement at the transformation of his sensory abilities.

A thirty-foot range of perception was a feat typically reserved for a Level-3 Relic Arts practitioner!

Why had Tantrum's progress in the Relic Arts been so sluggish before? His grandfather often lamented his lack of talent, noting that after over a decade of practice, he was still hovering at Level 1.

The reason lay in Tantrum's inherently weak perception, which was not only feeble but also resistant to growth. Even the simplest red rune proved a challenge to master due to his insufficient sensitivity.

But now, with his perception expanded to thirty feet, not even red runes, let alone orange or yellow ones, could hinder Tantrum.

This meant that with his newfound perceptual strength, Tantrum could skip past the red and orange runes, diving straight into training with the more intricate and potent yellow runes.

Typically, a Level 1 Relic Arts Master would train with red runes, while a Level 2 would progress to orange runes...

And the pattern would continue.

However, these were not hard and fast rules. With enough perceptual strength, one could leapfrog over levels in their training!

His grandfather, for instance, had been able to enhance the Level 5 Azure Dragon Gallbladder Bright Silver Spear into a Relic at Level 4. He could stand his ground against a Level 5 Relic Arts Master, all thanks to his robust perception.

As to the sudden spike in his perception, Tantrum speculated it was linked to the vanished cauldron. But with his current understanding, the precise cause eluded him. He could only credit the mysterious transformation to the complex black runes on the cauldron that had somehow worked their magic on his body, boosting his sensory faculties.

After his initial excitement subsided, Tantrum stepped out of the room once more, intent on scouring the market for another antique treasure. With his heightened perception, he was ready to imbue his first Relic with power.

Possessing a Relic would exponentially increase his strength!

Meanwhile, Gu's Antique Shop was welcoming a peculiar visitor.

This customer arrived cloaked in a woven rush raincoat, a long wooden box in tow, his face obscured by a black cloth, and exuding an aura of chilling dampness.

While Gu's Antique Shop's primary wares were ink, paper, and inkstones, these items only accounted for a small fraction of their revenue. The real money-makers were the genuine antiques: ceramics, famous paintings, ancient coins, and finely crafted decorative pieces, with the occasional discreet sale of bronze artifacts.

On this particular day, an odd customer stepped into the shop, intent on selling rather than buying.

He offered an Ancient Bronze Sword from the Warring States period, remarkably well-preserved. Elder Qi treated the man with utmost seriousness, enlisting his disciple Hee Ming to join him in a thorough examination of the sword's authenticity and value.

One million!

The sum was substantial, prompting Elder Qi to summon Gu Qianqian to make the final call on the purchase.

As Qianqian was about to approve the acquisition of the Ancient Bronze Sword, Tantrum made his timely entrance.

A casual glance from him landed on the sword nestled within the wooden box on the table. Instinctively, he swept his perception over it and let out a soft exclamation, a look of bewilderment crossing his face.

He halted, drawn closer to the sword, and scrutinized it intently.

Under Tantrum's perceptive gaze, the Ancient Bronze Sword seemed to glow with a yellow rune. But intriguingly, the rune was fragmented into four separate pieces, as though shattered.