“Aahhh… Ugh..Gwahhah!” With a hoarse scream, Heifeng Jiansui spat out nearly a gallon of blood from his mouth. The blood was blackish-red and emitted heat. This was remnant slag from the 9 pillars forged for the Black Phoenix Allbeast Formation.

After the black blood was purged, Heifeng Jiansui’s body seemed to be glossy and clean like a newborn child. Flakes of dead skin had fallen on the ground along with blackish sweat. An illusionary black fire seemed to emit from his body.

This was only the Introductory Stage of the Phoenixblood Marrowforge art! There were still the Small Success, Large Success and Perfection stages before he could complete this training!

Checking himself with spiritual sense, he realized that the fusion between his body and bloodline was nearly perfect. If he had used a Phoenix Marrow Extract, the fusion level would be lower.

“It seems that I can use this technique 12 more times before I breakthrough to the Small Success Stage. As for the Large Success Stage and Perfection… I don’t need to think that far.”

“I can practice this technique 4 times a day. Daybreak, Noon, Twilight and Midnight… Only when the Yin and Yang energy is at their extremes will the efficiency of the Black Phoenix Bloodline be at the apex. The formation converges a small amount of Black Phoenix qi. While this energy can be used for suppressing beasts and converging energy, my needle-infusion technique fuses it into the body! The reforging of the marrow with pure Black Phoenix qi perfectly fulfils the conditions of the Phoenixblood Marrowforge while nurturing my bloodline as well. Also, there is yet another matter…”

Dark Phoenix Nine Daos and Black Phoenix Undying Cycle, these were the topmost bloodline techniques possessed by him! While he could only use superficial parts of them until now, with a purer bloodline from the marrow forging, he could finally practice some of its true power!

“Unfortunately, I was too hasty before this. I used the Five Sacred Beasts Cycle to form a chaoseed within me. This fused the inferior sacred beast bloodlines within me as well. To practice these techniques to the limit, I will have to tear these bloodlines out…” It was inconsequent earlier, but now he had various phoenix bloodline techniques! He could refine a pure Black Phoenix body, bloodline, breath and spirit, transforming his destiny and potential as a mortal! Instead of the inferior mix of bloodlines, a pure Black Phoenix bloodline was much better!

Of course, with the formation of a chaoseed, separating the bloodlines would be a harder job. Still, it was doable.

For now, Heifeng Jiansui felt the adrenaline concealing his pain disappearing. Since meaninglessly writhing under such pain to demonstrate machismo would be a stupid choice, he removed some pills from his spatial ring.

Since his current body was yet mortal, drugs were still effective.

+++

After using drugs in inhibit the torturous pain, Heifeng Jiansui lost all appetite for lunch. Thus, he spent the time refining the ‘Black Phoenix Allbeast Ruler’ pillars. He trained the various blacksmithing techniques he had memorized in the Ten Thousand Sword Paradise’s archives, trying to comprehend their essences and fuse them together.

If it were sword arts, he could comprehend their essences simply by seeing one move. But other techniques were a different matter.

Even so, he was a peerless genius who previously surmounted the apex of cultivation. After reading through the manuals, a basic understanding of the techniques was understood by him.

Basically, none of the techniques in the archives surmounted his Ice-Fire Divine Forging Art. While there was a technique similar to it called ‘Heaven Hammer, Earth Anvil’, it used the wind, thunder, earth and metal elements as the base. Moreover, it was incomplete. While it could be used as a base in forming a new blacksmithing technique, Heifeng Jiansui was interested in creating a greater Ice-Fire forging art.

Thus, the sight of fiery hot flames and icy cold frost merging together could be seen in the forge. If the durability of the forging implements wasn’t Earth-grade, they would have shattered due to the rapid change in temperature.

While Heifeng Jiansui forged a few top grade pillars while merging the high-grade blacksmithing techniques, he switched to high grade materials when it came testing out mid-grade techniques. He had to try some low-grade techniques as well. Like this, quite a large amount of materials were expended while creating the forging art.

Sometimes, a low-grade but exquisite technique had to be upgraded to a high grade technique. Other times, a high grade but inefficient technique had to be lowered. A consummate forging technique that would include skills for all the steps of forging, beginning from the initial heating up and purification of the material, to the process of hammering the material into shape under furnace, to the process of cooling down and solidifying the incomplete weapon by quenching and finally tempering the weapon to complete forging. There was the final process of engraving inscriptions and runes on the weapon as well.

It would include ordinary forging, the way of refining the weapon by hammer, fire and anvil. It would include the special technique of using Ice-Fire energy and laws to refine weapons. It would include foundation Black Phoenix bloodline techniques and body control and strength multiplication techniques as well.

This was an endlessly exquisite technique with many complexities. This technique that would have astounded divine blacksmiths was being created in an infant’s room. This fact would have caused many of them to cough up blood in fury!

Finally, the hammer stopped falling as the technique was completed. Heifeng Jiansui blinked as he noticed the pile of weapons forged by him. Unexpectedly, he entered a meditative state while creating the technique!

Looking at them, most of the weapons were top-grade armaments with inscriptions forged on them. Meanwhile, he distinctly remembered using only mid-grade and high-grade materials for forging them. “So I finally broke through that bottleneck… I can now forge top grade weapons from high grade materials!” He immediately entered a jubilant mood after noticing this.

Putting away the weapons in his spatial ring, he immediately took out a blank jade slip from his ring and began to inscribe the technique on it. It was important to record newly created techniques like this. Also, inscribing them would allow him to run through it and weed out any remnant flaws. He had recorded his first technique ‘Boundless Scriptures Showing Dao’ into a jade slip earlier as well.

“Now, what should I call this technique… I suppose ‘Iceflame Phoenix Godforge’ Art sounds good. Iceflame Phoenix Godforge Art, First Scroll complete!” Saying this, Heifeng Jiansui finished recording the first stage of his second technique created in his second life.

+++

“Sigh… I knew that the stock of top-grade materials was low, but to think could forge only 12 sets with them… I suppose it is enough to breakthrough to Small Success. I suppose it’s time to wait for twilight, then.” Since he had some time left, he took out the Golden Paradise Seal, his sect identity token and entered the Illusionary Swordworld for a quick battle!

The background of a large colosseum appeared around him. “Selection Mode–––Full Random!” After reciting this, the world abruptly changed in a forest. Before him stood a girl wielding a bow. Meanwhile, the weapon in his hands was a spear.

“You used the Full Random arrangement to scrounge for more Merit Points, didn’t you? Well, its time to pay for your stupidity! Die for me!” A barrage of arrows shot out with that remark.

Coolheaded, Heifeng Jiansui only swung the spear formed by his battle spirit at the arrows. The arrows shattered into light that fused with the spear. This was a spear technique called Soulcatching Spear which could nourish the battle spirit by swallowing the battle spirits of others!

Of course, the avatar formed within the virtual arena, the weapons and the body were created by splitting a small amount of spirit energy from the battle spirit. While completely absorbing it would not negatively impact the cultivator, it would certainly force that person to go in secluded meditation for a week or two.

–––––Of course, he didn’t possess a technique that had such an effect. Swallowing about 3% of the avatar’s spirit energy would be a miracle.

As he was caught up in his thoughts, another hail of arrows fell. Almost absentmindedly, he swung his spear to shatter them into light.

A Dao is 10,000 Dao, 10,000 Dao are one Dao. Having united with the Dao of the sword, wielding other weapons was nothing to him as well.

As he slowly walked towards the archer, she realized that her arrows were no match and fled further into the forest. Heifeng Jiansui followed her, trying out his footwork technique.

Every now and then, a rain of arrows would fall, only to be blocked by a sweep. Finally, the girl fell in exhaustion. With a single strike, Heifeng Jiansui pierced her throat and swallowed her spiritual energy.

“Only 3% of her energy was swallowed, as expected. Even though she exhausted her spirit force on the arrows, I could only gain about 2% energy from that. These battle spirit cultivation techniques are too weak, so I will have to design a technique for that too, as expected.” Saying this, he waited for his merit points to be calculated.

[Due to Full Random option chosen, you receive 3 times the merit points! 15,000 merit points awarded!]

[Due to battling an enemy of lower rank, Virtual Arena Rank is constant.]

“As expected, I received higher points for battling Aina due to her higher rank. But the triple bonus from Full Random selection isn’t bad either. It seems that not too many high rank users are connected at this time.

…I suppose I should contact Aina about this. She can tell me contact times for the high rank sect disciples” As he absentmindedly mused this, all thoughts about his disappointing previous battle were forgotten. Even the girl he defeated was left a memory without name.