The acquisition of Abyss Beast Summoning gave Luo Xiu a sense of reassurance.
This skill was a key ability at the first stage of the Abyss Path, and also the last skill before advancing to the second stage of Transcendent.
However, to complete the summoning ritual, one crucial spiritual medium was still missing.
This crucial spiritual medium could only be obtained in the subsequent battle with the Blood Disciple.
Luo Xiu was not in a hurry; having mastered the key skill, he only needed to quietly await the inevitable battle…
So, Luo Xiu’s next course of action was clear—
He needed to make the final preparations before the battle!
First, prepare the weapons for battle!
Luo Xiu closed the Abyss Book and looked at the scattered weapons, tools, and materials nearby.
“It should be enough…” Luo Xiu mused.
Although Luo Xiu had not truly entered the Transcendent realm at this time, having mastered Radiance Inscription and Abyss Inscription, he was already capable of making the most basic Transcendent weapons.
These two Transcendent skills were both techniques to externalize one's Transcendent spirituality in the form of “inscription” and to preserve it.
The “light attribute” of Radiance Inscription was more affinity and controllable compared to the “dark attribute” of Abyss.
Therefore, Luo Xiu planned to make a preliminary attempt with Radiance Inscription.
Luo Xiu first drank a mana potion, restored his mana bar to full, and then picked up the black steel dagger.
The dark blade of the dagger reflected a dull metallic luster under the dim light, and if hidden in a dark environment, it would even be difficult to discern the dagger’s shape.
However, Luo Xiu’s reason for purchasing this dagger was not simply to use it as a weapon.
A flash of silver-gray light, the blade arced through the air, Luo Xiu switched the dagger from a forward grip to a reverse grip, and with his other hand, he reached for a short blunderbuss, pressing it beneath his palm.
At this moment, the dagger could also serve as a rough carving knife…
It wasn't that he couldn't afford a carving knife, but that a dagger was more cost-effective!
“—Radiance Inscription.”
In Luo Xiu’s mind, the knowledge of the Radiance Inscription skill began to emerge.
And the dagger held in Luo Xiu’s right hand in a reverse grip, as well as the weapon base about to be inscribed beneath his left hand—the “Exquisite Single-Shot Blunderbuss”—at this moment, felt like an extension of Luo Xiu’s arm, linked with his soul.
His mind fluctuated between light and darkness, and for a split second, Luo Xiu seemed to feel that a warm and sacred energy flowing within him had gathered in the dagger blade in his right hand.
At the same time, in Luo Xiu’s mind, a single-shot blunderbuss, magnified several times, appeared synchronously.
However, the appearance of this blunderbuss was clearly different from the one in front of Luo Xiu—not overly complex golden patterns intertwined on the surface of the blunderbuss in his mind.
Luo Xiu imitated and tried to engrave the same patterns as the blunderbuss in his mind onto the surface of the blunderbuss in his hand with the dagger.
Despite it being his first time wielding a dagger, Luo Xiu seemed to possess some innate proficiency with one-handed weapons, which allowed him to keep the engraved patterns straight without significant deviation.
…
Time passed bit by bit as Luo Xiu engraved.
About half an hour later, Luo Xiu straightened his upper body and wiped a fine bead of sweat from his forehead.
“Finished.”
The blunderbuss in his mind suddenly disappeared, and the short blunderbuss in front of him had now completed the inscription work.
The moment the inscription was completed, the golden patterns on the blunderbuss suddenly emitted a dazzling radiance, signaling the success of the Radiance Inscription.
【You have completed the creation of a Transcendent Weapon (Gray Crude Quality)】
【Crafting (Normal) Proficiency +1, you gain 108 basic experience…】
And in front of Luo Xiu, the weapon panel of the enchanted short blunderbuss also popped up simultaneously.
【Equipment Name: judge (Gray Crude)】
【Equipment Type: Blunderbuss / Transcendent Weapon】
【Equipment Efficiency: Ammo Capacity 1, Single Shot / Instant Cast, Reload Time 10s】
【Equipment Bonus: Strength Attribute +3, Agility Attribute -1】
【Equipment Requirements: Any Path First Stage, Strength Attribute 5+, Divinity Attribute 10+】
【Equipment Trait Overview】
【judge Shot (Active Skill): Fired ammunition can cause “Holy Light” attribute damage, damage value is 150~200% of Physical Attack + 100~150% of Magic Attack, maximum damage 100 points, ignores defense reduction. When hitting a “weak point”, damage judgment is doubled.】
【Crude Quality (Passive Trigger): A crudely made weapon, damage judgment is reduced by 10%. The weapon will be destroyed after three attack judgments.】
【Durability: 3 / 3】
【Note: Crude and unrefined, but still a Transcendent Weapon not to be underestimated.】
【Creator: Luo Xiu Durant】
Luo Xiu examined it carefully for a while. As a beginner’s first work, being able to successfully create a true Transcendent Weapon on the first try was already beyond Luo Xiu’s expectations.
Although it was only “Crude” quality, it was completely sufficient for Luo Xiu.
Luo Xiu did a quick calculation in his mind.
His current attributes met the equipment requirements for “judge (Crude)”. After gaining the +3 Strength attribute bonus, his physical attack could reach 16 points.
Calculating it, one “judge Shot” from Luo Xiu could deal 38~54 points of “Holy Light Damage”. If he was lucky, he could even one-shot himself.
“It feels… pretty good.”
Luo Xiu murmured.
After resting for a while, waiting for his energy to recover slightly, Luo Xiu pulled out a second exquisite short blunderbuss.
Luo Xiu followed suit, and half an hour later, he had completed the second “judge (Gray Crude)”.
【You have completed the creation of a Transcendent Weapon (Gray Crude)】
【Crafting (Normal) Proficiency +1, you gain 98 basic experience…】
Completing the creation of Transcendent Weapons also yielded experience points. At this time, Luo Xiu’s experience points were already enough to level up again.
But Luo Xiu was not in a hurry to spend these experience points, because when killing enemies of higher levels and tiers, the greater the gap between himself and the enemy, the more generous the kill rewards he would receive.
Anyway, levels could be raised at any time, and playing dumb to catch a tiger, or pretending to be a weakling, was also part of the plan!
…
Putting the two “judge” into his bag, Luo Xiu’s gaze swept over the two gray wolf hides beside him.
These were the carriers prepared for the Abyss skill—Abyss Beast Summoning, and also the fundamental guarantee for perfectly resolving this Blood Disciple invasion.
The “silver forging plates” among the materials were pre-prepared inscription objects, and the “copper forged rings” served as sealing objects.
Luo Xiu planned to complete the first half of Abyss Beast Summoning first.
Just like when crafting the “judge”, Luo Xiu meditated on Abyss Inscription in his mind.
The appearance of the gray wolf hide after “inscription” emerged in his mind, and Luo Xiu began to pinch the silver forging plates to draw patterns on the wolf hide.
As his thoughts directed, the silver forging plates resonated with Luo Xiu’s spirit and became as smooth as mercury in Luo Xiu’s hand.
He spread the softened silver forging plates onto the wolf hide, replicating the patterns that appeared in his mind. After a long while, both gray wolf hides had their patterns drawn.
【Item Name: Etched Wolf Hide (Half-Finished)】
【Item Type: Material / Transcendent Material】
【Item Effect: An item inscribed with Transcendent skills, specific effects unknown…】
After checking everything was correct, Luo Xiu rolled up the wolf hides like scrolls, put them into his bag, and put on the copper forged ring.
With preparations complete, the sky outside the window was already nearing dusk.
When midnight arrived, the two Blood Disciples would infiltrate from outside the town, and the entity behind them—the “Blood Lord” of Blood of Thorns—would observe everything they saw through the eyes of these two Blood Disciples.
After a moment of thought, Luo Xiu took his bag and headed to the Path the two Blood Disciples were sure to take.
He would set an ambush beforehand, waiting for the enemies to fall into his trap.