Chapter 10: Violet Dawn

There are two kinds of weapons; some are just tools, while some have a soul.

What weapon is more likely to gain a spirit of its own, a great artifact crafter by a master smith, a masterwork made of countless formations and metals, or a peasant's hoe? Artifact obviously, it is harder to break.

However, if a hoe somehow manages to spend several years in the hands of a true master, it could also get enriched by the wielder's Battle Intent and, in a way, become alive. Then the weapon and its wielder will be like soulmates; such weapons depend on their masters, share their mental stare, power, and even death.

However, there is also another way to make a Spirit Weapon; it is much harder and a matter of chance mostly.

If you forge an artifact from the remains of a strong beast it will keep a portion of animal's soul.

Over the time it might develop into a true Weapon Spirit.

But there was a huge difference. This kind of weapon wasn't bound to anyone, it still could be used as a normal artifact, but the true immense power of the Spirit couldn't be unleashed unless it recognized its master and usually, they were very picky.

The Violet Dawn was made from a Stone Roc killed by the Great Founder of Wei Family one hundred and fifty years ago.

Since that time it has acknowledged only one master.

…

"Zu!"

Wei Xin heard the bird's cry, clean and high, like a vast blue sky. The silence of both the future and the past has shattered. He saw a purple flame; he saw a giant bird with wings spread far apart flying inside his consciousness before the sea of blood. That bird, the sabre…

For some time he was confused. He looked at the bird, the Violet Dawn, the legendary sabre of Wei Family. Does it want to save him?

The boy felt excited, but then he noticed the bird's eyes. Crystal, purple, shining with agitation, fever, immense madness and obsession while looking at the sea of blood.

Then he understood, somehow, and that understanding almost crippled his spirit.

He wanted to scream, to stop it, and maybe he could, but he couldn't bring himself to. His soul froze.

…

Shan stood up; he has finally understood what was going on. The Sabre of Violet Dawn has only ever had one master: Wei Yang, the last patriarch of the Wei Family. It's hard to make a Spirit Weapon acknowledge you as a master, but if it will, its devotion will surpass anything. For a long time, The Violet Dawn had lost the sign of its master, it became desperate, but now, at last, it has found him.

And was willing to join him again.

The sabre was not helping Wei Xin; it didn't even know who he was. Right now, it was committing suicide. It wished to join its master, and it could feel his presence somewhere in the sea of blood.

So, could Wei Xin stop it? Maybe, but his choice has already been made. He wanted to live, and that was his last chance.

The violet bird dived into the blood, the devilish tornado. Did it really know what it was doing, did it really know that its master was dead, that it will die too? Who knows, The Sabre…

"Wait!" Shouted the boy at last and tried everything to stop the bird; his vision went black and his body went numb, however, it was too late. The blood swallowed the Roc, a strong purple radiance spread across his consciousness.

His Spirit Root shined in the void of darkness, pale redness colored its surface and then deepened, and then it became dark-crimson. The veins, originally swelled, expanded even more.

The absorption has stopped and Wei Xin slowly opened his eyes.

Bright daylight.

Cold breeze.

Everything was so blurry, everything… thought the child while tears were coming from his eyes.

"A…ah…"

He cried like a pitiful baby, he was beating the ground, he was tired, so tired. Why does this happen? What's wrong with this world, what's wrong with himself? Why his existence so wretched?

Why!?

Shan looked at the crying kid, at the black stone of a sabre lying before him. Slowly, he bowed and then sighed.

"Too many deaths in vain..."

"From this moment you aren't Wei anymore."

"Leave this mansion by the end of the week and never come back. I will set the defense formations to self-destruct, so the place will be a beast paradise soon."

After that, he placed a little bag on his shoulder and simply left.

At some point, he thought about that chest in the underground. Should he? No, enough of the past already.

"I need a change of pace…" He said and gave the boy a final look. He has already calmed down and was simply sitting on the ground with a blank look on his face.

Seems like he was Elementless, what a letdown, as for the amount of meridians…

"Six."

Neither bad nor good, well, that's for a normal warrior. For a normal warrior Six would actually be a great number but for Shan…

"Trash." He said and started to descend from the mountain.…

…

…

...

When Wei Xin calmed down, first he wiped his tears. Then stood up and walked to the Sabre. He tried to lift it but no use. He couldn't even move it.

The boy wasn't too disappointed, it was expected. He walked into the house and to the kitchen.

There he activated the heating formation, filled a pot with water and sliced several vegetables in. Then, after some time, he took the pot from the fire and stated eating directly from it with a big wooden spoon.

Not the most pleasant lunch he ever had.

Then he headed to his room and immediately collapsed into the bed. Sleep took over him in no time...

When Xin woke up it was already night. He shook his head and walked to the inner courtyard. There he sat near a carrot garden and started cultivating.

He knew all the basics about the process because of all the manuals he has read.

Still, he was afraid that there might be some problems with his Spirit Root; it looked really bulged now, could it even work?

At first, he tried to be careful, slowly feeling the Qi in the air. It was there, many currents of colorful energy. Yellow of Earth, Red of Fire… Sadly only one, the most basic and white was useful for him. Elementless Qi, the weakest of them all. Well, at least it was abundant everywhere.

Xin started absorbing it, bit by bit because he was afraid that it could awake the hunger of his Spirit Root.

However, soon he lost himself in the feeling of bliss.

He could feel the Qi spreading across his skin, itchy but immensely enjoyable as if he was taking a hot bath after a tiring day. No, even better.

It was the effect of the first cultivation.

Many people at the beginning of their cultivation were so absorbed in that feeling that they were only waking up the following day, severely dehydrated and hungry like wolves. After all, only after Synchronization Realm warriors could survive without food.

That's why in many manuals it was recommended for the first session to be supervised. Sadly, there wasn't anyone to do that for Wei Xin and when he woke up to the morning shine he almost immediately fell down; his throat was dry like a desert.

"Ha…" Strangely, next second an invigorating sensation ran through his body. Was it some effect of cultivation he didn't know about?

He almost thought about cultivating again but quickly restricted himself. Better not to try luck, he quickly ran to the kitchen.

After an hour he once again sat behind carrots and crossed his legs. The second time wasn't so exciting and by the third, there was no fun at all. Only anxiety now, he still couldn't break through.

He was cultivating daily without breaks and that, frankly, was a bit strange; how could he keep up with that increasingly more mundane and tiring process?

Anyway, the week was approaching its end, the forest was growing darker. At last, after the sixth day, the hurdle was finally passed.

He managed to concentrate an entire layer of Qi that was covering his body at one dot slightly lower his neck.

"Chi!"

The acupuncture opened and the Qi directly surged into his Upper Shoulders Meridian.

Xin felt happy and relieved; now it was just a matter of time. The Qi he had accumulated during the past five days almost completely filled the meridian. He could feel a new strength in his arms.

Still, it wasn't time to relax.

Now he was sorry he hadn't eaten much before that session. He should fill the meridian completely in one go.

The boy started working. What he didn't notice was the strange green hue of his Qi...

Finally, after five more hours the meridian became full. The feeling of strength and invigoration filled his body to the brim. He entered the First Stage of Qi Gathering Realm.

Wei Xin opened his eyes. It was night, and stars were unusually shiny. Countless bright dots confusing the eyes; even on that mountain, it was a rare occasion.

Xin walked to the outer courtyard. There, under the shine of the sky, he easily found the black Sabre. He could see it was dead now. No purple hue, no intent. Its edge wasn't even sharp now. Only in comparison, though. He still managed to cut his finger after pressing it too hard.

Wei Xin bitted his lips and lifted the Sabre, it was still hard for him and he could feel how the Qi in his meridian was slowly draining out.

Then he began his long walk to the willow.

The night was cool; drops of his sweat were trembling in the wind, even stronger than his hands.

At last, he placed the Sabre on the ground of the cliff. His hands went numb; his eyes were fascinated with the look. Countless stars, some shining in the lake. Only one home, at the very edge of the village, was still full of light. One yellow dot between uncountable silver.

Ignoring his weeping hands he started to dig. Time was going by; the moon was traveling across the sky. With his fingers dirty he once again took the Sabre and then placed it into the grave.

After he covered it with earth and deeply bowed.

Well, what's now?