When the multicolored light of the First Order Soul Stones disappeared, the small, thin metal fragments underwent a slight but noticeable change to the naked eye.
Before, except for their thinness and length, there was not much that a person could appreciate. However, when Bai Zemin and Lilith looked at the spikes now, they both noticed that aside from the fact that there were clearly several more compared to before, the body of the spikes had become slightly longer and slightly thicker in the back but as thin as a hair in the front.
“So now you’re going to start throwing those darts all over the place?”
“Oh, not those darts. These darts aren’t the finished product after all.”
Lilith took a step forward and picked one up at random upon hearing Bai Zemin’s words. Her expression became quite weird as she said in a low voice, “These things are 600 physical attack power points but they’re not finished yet? What do you have in mind?”
“Hehe… About that…”
Bai Zemin took out the small spatial liquid storage pearl and a vessel from inside his storage ring. At his command, a strange blackish-purple colored blood began to flow out from the liquid storage pearl and as it fell into the vessel and fluttered, the smell of fish immediately filled the air.
“That’s… Poison?”
Lilith frowned as she smelled the odor in the air. She couldn’t decipher if what was in the vessel was poison or not as it was too weak for her organism to feel anything so she could only guess.
“That’s right!” Bai Zemin nodded and put the liquid storage pearl away again. “This poisonous blood is the product of the fusion of the blood of over 100 Unclassified poisonous creatures, 20 First Order, and 2 Second Order ones. This thing has so many different types of poisons that mutated after the fusion that now even this daddy doesn’t dare to be careless since even if with my high stats I can suppress most of them, there is the possibility that one will have an effect on me. Of course, I have no intention of checking it at all.”
After saying those words and without waiting for a reply from Lilith, Bai Zemin put on a pair of Rank 1 gloves and grabbed a handful of darts before finally throwing them into the poison-filled vessel. He didn’t wait to pull them all out and then repeated the process again with a new handful of darts.
Approximately two or three minutes later, all the darts had been dyed purple-black. At the same time, the Rank 1 gloves that Bai Zemin was wearing had to be thrown away as the mutant beast material that had been used to make it had been corroded to the point that it was not worth trying to use it again on something else.
Moments later, Bai Zemin took out another handful of First Order Soul Stones and began working once again on the magic smithing process. About a minute later, he opened his previously closed eyes, just in time to see the multicolored light disappear after being absorbed by the darts.
“And to think that two months ago you were reluctant to spend even a single First Order Soul Stone, but look at you now, spending several of them at the same time as if you were eating candy.”
“There will come a day when I’ll even use Sixth Order Soul Stones as if I were eating candy.”
“… For some reason your words are offensive to me but I can’t understand why. Would you mind enlightening me?”
“Don’t worry. It’s just your imagination.”
“You, little…”
Bai Zemin didn’t hear what Lilith said next as he was focused on the darts before him which had just undergone another change. The color of the darts before was slightly amethyst as during the semi-fusion process the color of the Lapiodite had returned to them, however, the color of the darts had currently turned blackish with purple tints and occasionally a thin amethyst colored lightning could be seen flickering from the thinnest tip to the thickest part at the back.
Bai Zemin was satisfied with the appearance of the darts, after all, while appearance was a secondary thing, wouldn’t it be nice if his weapons were all gloomy and majestic looking? With entertained thoughts like that, he picked up the first dart and inspected the records of his new creation.
—————
[Dart of the Plague -}
[Throwing Weapon]
[Rank 2]
[Physical attack power: 1200]
[Magical attack power: 999]
[Durability: 500/500]
[Options -}
[1) Any existence below level 60 has a 100% probability of suffering one of the following status effects: temporary blindness, paralysis for 2 seconds, blood corroding for 5 seconds, corruption for 3 seconds, serenity for 2 seconds. The 100% probability of the effect decreases by 10% for each level the enemy exceeds the indicated limit.]
[2) Can be repaired automatically when absorbing poison.]
[Description: Throwing weapon forged en masse by a novice blacksmith unwilling to miss even the smallest opportunity. Under the bath of several poisons, what were previously fragments of a Rank 2 metal turned into deadly weapons for his enemies. Good luck digging them out of the flesh of your enemies!]
—————
“Seriously, what the hell is up with these descriptions?” Bai Zemin’s expression was quite amused as he read the end of the records.
“… Is that what surprises you and not the fact that using pieces of a broken weapon you just forged over a thousand Rank 2 weapons with over 1000 physical attack power and almost 1000 magic attack power points, as well as the terrifying option to inflict at least a poison among several?” Lilith was a bit speechless after seeing the records of the small weapon in her hands.
To her, the darts that Bai Zemin had forged naturally was nothing too great. But the reason Lilith was so surprised was because he had created so many Rank 2 weapons in just a couple of minutes! Moreover, he had done it with such apparent ease that if she didn’t know him Lilith might have thought that Bai Zemin was secretly a blacksmith who had been practicing for at least a century!
“Don’t overthink it, just call it plot armor.” Bai Zemin waved his hand casually and with a single wave stored all the Dart of the Plague in his spatial storage ring.
He was incredibly pleased with the results. He now had another trump card waiting to be used depending on the circumstances. Bai Zemin did not expect that from what was meant to be the repair of his weapon would also end up resulting in the forging of so many good quality throwing weapons.
“Plot armor? You mean the light novels?” Lilith looked at him in confusion.
“Exactly!” Bai Zemin nodded in frustration and grumbled under his breath, “I used to browse the forums in the past to discuss theories about my favorite novels back then. But guess what? Most of the time, I would find other readers talking about plot armor for every single event that happened in the story! For the love of god, think a little harder my friend! There could be so many reasons why a certain event happened but your little brain only allows you to think of cheap excuses? Bah!”
“… If this were a light novel I wonder how many readers would laugh or how many of them would be upset with your words of dialogue.”
“Fortunately, however, this is not a light novel.” Bai Zemin shrugged and jumped down from the ice wagon with a single leap.
“Come on, Lilith. Time to end this once and for all.”
Lilith looked up at the bright sky, and for some reason felt that something was wrong, but she couldn’t tell where it was wrong. Finally, she looked down into the underground and her ruby eyes glowed strangely as she whispered, “Shouldn’t be a problem considering his actual power.”
“Em? Did you say something?” Bai Zemin turned around and looked at her in confusion.
“No, it’s nothing.” Lilith shook her head and said with a smile, “Let’s go.”
* * *
After Bai Zemin finished doing what he had to do, he personally gathered the troops that under the organization of Shangguan Bing Xue and Sun Ling who had practically given up her position as second in command for Shangguan Bing Xue to take over after witnessing her power and efficiency in giving orders had already been ordered as Bai Zemin had requested earlier.
He looked at the faces of the people in front of him carefully. Bai Zemin took more than five minutes before finally opening his mouth and saying loudly, “Alright, everyone! As each of you probably already know, this will be the last ruin and then we can go home…. Let’s give it all we’ve got to get it over with as soon as possible so we can get back to having a good night’s sleep in our beds next to our loved ones!”
“Bro, I really want to see my wife. It’s only been about 5 days since we left base but it feels like an eternity.” A level 27 soul evolver soul evolver smiled as he clenched his sword tightly.
“Well, we have fought a lot during this time and none of the battles we experienced were easy.” Another level 30 soul evolver commented, stroking his spear that had several drops of dried blood on it.
“Hahaha! When I return, I’ll take it upon myself to challenge that little bitch Xiao Chao to a friendly battle. This old man has now become a First Order existence after so many battles together with Team Leader!”
“Team Leader, open the way please!”
“With you at the helm, do we have anything to fear? Even a Fourth Order existence couldn’t stop our footsteps! I refuse to believe we have to face anything bigger than that!”
“Hahaha!”
“…”
Bai Zemin together with Shangguan Bing Xue heard the cheerful voices of everyone present and seeing how each of them looked confident they both subconsciously nodded.
“Morale is high.” Bai Zemin said satisfied.
“It was to be expected.” Shangguan Bing Xue chuckled and remarked, “Even a Fourth Order existence could not stop the person leading them. With a capable leader willing to step up before the rest, the troops will naturally be willing to do anything.”
Bai Zemin nodded silently. He was the type of person who believed that in order for subordinates to perform well, it was first necessary to have someone capable to lead.
In chess, the king was the most important but at the same time the weakest piece of all. Therefore, it was not good to leave it alone in the open of the enemy pieces but it was also not good to leave it in the allied base as that would mean leaving behind potential powerful attackers who could help bring down the enemy; therefore, Bai Zemin believed that the best move was to always advance the king together with the subordinates.
“Bing Xue, did you finish what I asked you to do for me?” Bai Zemin said suddenly.
“Mm? Oh, don’t worry.” Shangguan Bing Xue nodded after realizing what Bai Zemin was talking about. “Even though I don’t understand why you are being so cautious when the person named Kang Guiying said that he was the final trial, I did what you asked me to do. Although I don’t think it will have any use since we will probably take out all the enemies underground.”
“… I hope so.” Bai Zemin nodded after a moment of silence and continued, “But it doesn’t hurt to be a little careful and expect the worst.”
Shangguan Bing Xue shook her head gently. Although in fact, she believed that Bai Zemin was overthinking it, she was also aware that it was precisely that meticulous and pessimistic thinking in expecting the worst of situations in every event that had allowed Bai Zemin to become the outstanding warrior and mage that he was today, as well as the reason why he was still alive.
“Everyone, move!”
And just like that, Bai Zemin led his troops directly toward the central pagoda.
The last of the five pagodas.
Where the real treasure was hidden.
… As well as a new challenge.
