Judging solely by its attributes, the Violet Lightning Four Directions Seal was honestly nothing special.
Aside from its unique effect, every other aspect of the accessory was inferior to many ordinary White grade accessories.
It scarcely deserved the title of a Purple grade ornament.
Yet the moment Yin Huaichen had first seen it, it had felt strangely familiar.
Only after examining the intricate patterns engraved upon its surface did he finally confirm his suspicion.
The important part wasn’t its attributes.
It was the material.
This thing had actually been forged from Thunderflame Ember Gold.
Yin Huaichen tossed the seal up and down in his palm.
Honestly, he couldn’t help wondering which idiot blacksmith had made it.
Thunderflame Ember Gold was an incredibly precious material.
And someone had used it to craft a practically useless seal.
What a complete waste of heaven sent treasure.
As the Young Master of the Impermanence Palace, Yin Huaichen had seen countless rare treasures throughout his previous life.
If there was one thing he could confidently boast about, it was his eyesight.
In terms of experience and discernment, he ranked among the very best in the entire original world.
Thunderflame Ember Gold possessed an appearance that was neither entirely metal nor entirely iron.
Naturally formed lightning patterns ran throughout its surface.
When examined beneath sunlight, dark violet streams of light seemed to flow within the material itself.
Even the ancient masters of the Spirit Forging Pavilion would have found it impossible to create a convincing imitation.
Its applications were extraordinarily broad.
Whether used for weapons or armor, Thunderflame Ember Gold was considered a premium material.
More importantly, it naturally carried lightning spirit essence.
Equipment forged from it could imbue circulating internal energy with the power of thunder and lightning.
Any cultivator practicing lightning based techniques would covet such a material with burning desire.
Back in Yin Huaichen’s previous life, the value of even a small piece of Thunderflame Ember Gold could never be measured in silver.
Unfortunately, the seal had already been fully forged.
To melt it down and refine it back into raw Thunderflame Ember Gold required highly specialized techniques.
After thinking it over, Yin Huaichen temporarily stored the Violet Lightning Four Directions Seal inside his inventory.
Once he had the opportunity to visit Heavenly Mechanism City’s Heavenly Craft Pavilion, perhaps he could find a method for refining Thunderflame Ember Gold there.
The gains from this journey had been astonishing.
Not only had he unexpectedly obtained Thunderflame Ember Gold but he had also earned a full 1,500 silver coins.
His wealth had multiplied dozens of times over in an instant.
There were still more than forty minutes remaining before his scheduled meeting with Mu Yu and the others.
Having nothing else to do, Yin Huaichen began wandering through the nearby player stalls.
What if he managed to find another hidden treasure?
The world of Eternal Universe was unimaginably vast.
Within the territory of Thousand Mechanisms City alone existed countless hidden encounters and special quests.
The number of sects available to each profession extended far beyond those publicly known.
Earlier, Yin Huaichen had seen forum posts discussing players who had already joined hidden sects through unique encounters.
Just as Eternal Universe’s promotional slogan claimed:
A world of ultimate realism.
Anything was possible.
Although there were certain differences between this game world and the original world he once lived in, the game had only recently launched.
Most players still knew very little about it.
That lack of knowledge created opportunities for someone like Yin Huaichen.
“Brother, see anything you like?”
The stall owner immediately greeted him when he stopped nearby.
“These are all premium items I acquired at great expense.”
“Interested in anything? I’ll sell them to you at cost!”
Yin Huaichen casually swept his gaze across the displayed goods.
Then he shrugged.
“Just browsing.”
At first glance, nothing seemed particularly noteworthy.
Then again, discovering something like Thunderflame Ember Gold had already been incredibly lucky.
Thousand Mechanisms City wasn’t a major city in the first place.
There weren’t even many third rate NPC experts with Third Rank strength around.
Where would so many treasures come from for him to pick up?
With that thought in mind, he turned to leave.
After taking a few steps, however, he suddenly stopped.
Then he walked back.
Picking up a mask from the stall, he asked,
“How much for this?”
It was a half mask crafted from forged violet bronze.
The design was asymmetrical.
One side was covered with intricately forged dragon scale patterns, while flowing cloud leather decorations adorned the edges.
The entire piece carried a distinctly classical martial arts aesthetic.
[Dragon Hidden Among Clouds · Half Face Veil (White): Special Cosmetic Accessory. Does not occupy an accessory slot. Designer: Java Rabbit.]
In Eternal Universe, every player’s equipment slots were largely fixed.
For example, necklaces, rings, earrings and similar ornaments all occupied accessory slots.
At most, a player could equip four accessories simultaneously.
This mask was obviously player designed.
Beyond combat classes, Eternal Universe also possessed an enormous population of Hidden One players.
Their sects varied wildly.
There were practitioners of almost every imaginable profession.
When creating his character, Yin Huaichen had not altered his appearance.
Running around the game with his real face always felt suspiciously similar to using his real identity online.
A mask would solve that problem nicely.
“This one?”
The stall owner glanced over.
“I bought it from a female player.”
“If you want it… 100 silver?”
Yin Huaichen:
…
Do I look like an easy target to you?
“The designer graduated from one of the best design academies in real life.”
The stall owner launched into an enthusiastic sales pitch.
“One of her handmade works could sell for tens of thousands offline.”
“Just look at it!”
“The design! The craftsmanship!”
“You’ve got to pay for knowledge, brother!”
Yin Huaichen rolled his eyes.
“Twenty.”
“I paid thirty for it.”
The stall owner clicked his tongue.
“Forget it.”
“I’ll let you have it for forty.”
“No more bargaining.”
Yin Huaichen knew perfectly well the man had definitely not paid thirty silver for it.
Still, he couldn’t be bothered to argue.
After all, he was rich now.
More importantly, he genuinely liked the mask.
The interior lining was made from specially treated deerskin.
It felt remarkably comfortable to wear.
As a half mask, it covered everything from the bridge of the nose down to the jaw while leaving the eyes and brows exposed.
It wouldn’t interfere with vision during combat.
The asymmetrical design even carried a rugged, battle worn sense of martial wanderers traversing the jianghu.
Whatever else could be said, its appearance alone justified the forty silver coins.
Yin Huaichen still wanted to upgrade his equipment.
Especially his weapon.
He was still using the beginner Azure Abyss Sword issued by Azure Abyss Sword Sect.
Particularly after selling the Broken Wind Halberd, comparing the two weapons made his own sword seem pitifully inadequate.
After browsing through several stalls, he finally found one that caught his eye.
Without hesitation, he bought it.
[Cloudborne Sword (Green): Sharpness +9. Core Attribute +9. Qi Sea +5.]
It wasn’t anything extraordinary but as a transitional weapon, it was more than sufficient.
The main reason Yin Huaichen chose it was because of the Qi Sea affix.
Qi Sea was directly related to the maximum amount of internal energy a player could possess.
At the moment, Yin Huaichen wasn’t lacking damage.
What he lacked was internal energy.
With more internal energy, he could cast more skills.
Because Martial Artists had access to the vital point attack system, landing strikes on critical areas automatically resulted in critical hits.
As a result, the Critical Hit attribute that other classes desperately pursued was actually one of the least important attributes for Martial Artists.
Unfortunately, very few players had realized this.
Most Martial Artists were still following the crowd, obsessively stacking Critical Hit and Armor Penetration like everyone else.
Supportive affixes such as Qi Sea were largely ignored.
Because of that, Yin Huaichen only spent fifty silver coins to acquire the sword.
Another small bargain.
Afterward, he visited a stall specializing in skill books and purchased two more skills.
[Breath Concealment Technique (White): Derived from the third form of the ancient Demon Hunter art “Eight Methods of Shadow Evasion,” later modified and refined.
Sink one’s qi to the Yongquan Point and lock the Triple Burner.
Gather the stars through Baihui and close the Seven Apertures.
By controlling one’s breathing and presence, the user reduces their sense of existence, entering a state akin to semi hibernation.
Maximum Internal Energy +5%.
All skill costs reduced by 10% while active.
Class Restriction: Martial Artist.]
[Star Shattering Art (Green): Starlight enters the hundred meridians; a single thought shatters the mysterious gate.
For ten seconds after activation, Critical Damage increases by 20%.
Class Restriction: None.]
Both were toggle type status skills.
Together, they cost him a total of eight hundred silver coins.
Star Shattering Art alone accounted for six hundred of that amount due to being a Green grade skill.
As expected, skill books were far more expensive than equipment.
Equipment would eventually be replaced as players leveled up.
Suitable skills, however, could remain useful for a very long time.
Even so, Yin Huaichen felt the expense was completely justified.
Breath Concealment Technique increased the number of skills he could cast during battle.
Star Shattering Art enhanced short term burst damage.
Both fit his current combat style perfectly.
As for active attack skills, he merely glanced at them before moving on.
Sword users were the most common among Martial Artists.
As a result, sword technique skill books cost more than twice as much as skills for most other weapon types.
Even a basic skill like Middle Level Thrust was selling for seven hundred silver coins.
Even with his newfound wealth, Yin Huaichen couldn’t afford to spend money that recklessly.
Besides, he already possessed Hidden Azure Dragon and Triple Flood Dragon Probe.
Those were sufficient as his primary offensive skills for now.
He had barely left the skill book stall when his friend communication panel suddenly rang.
A message from Mu Yu appeared.
“Brother Yin Wuchang, we’re ready. Are you good to go on your side?”
Yin Huaichen replied immediately.
“I’m ready. Where are we meeting?”
“Come to the airship terminal.”
Mu Yu responded almost instantly.
“I’ve already assembled the team. We’re just waiting for you.”
Yin Huaichen sent back an “OK” emoji.
“Are we really bringing a Martial Artist?”
Elsewhere, just after Mu Yu ended the call, a Mechanic standing beside him lowered his voice and asked,
“Won’t a Martial Artist just drag us down?”
Mu Yu shot him a look.
“The token is in his hands.”
“Strictly speaking, we’re the ones asking him for help.”
“When he gets here, don’t show that attitude.”
There was more than one group that knew the location of Windblade Stronghold.
But players who actually possessed the token were extremely rare.
If Yin Huaichen wanted to, he could easily find another team willing to cooperate.
For them, however, finding another player with a token would be far more difficult.
“Oh…”
The Mechanic scratched his head awkwardly.
“Don’t worry. I’m not that insensitive.”
“Martial Artists are definitely weaker but the game has only just launched.”
One of the party members, Iron Guard, spoke up.
“Among the guilds I know, there are already a few Martial Artists performing extremely well.”
“Their damage isn’t low at all.”
“I think the class still has a lot of potential.”
“You mean people like Qiu Bailuo and the others?”
The Mechanic couldn’t help retorting.
“But those guys were professional players in other games before this.”
“Their gaming talent is absolutely top tier.”
“You can’t expect every random Martial Artist we recruit to be operating at that level.”
“We’ll find out after a few fights.”
Iron Guard shrugged.
“If he’s really not up to the task, then we’ll think about alternatives later.”
“Right now, the important thing is getting into Windblade Stronghold.”
“The One Sword Snowdrift Guild has already located it before us.”
“If we delay any longer, we’ll never catch up in progression.”
“He’s here.”
In the middle of the discussion, Mu Yu spotted a figure approaching from the distance.
His eyes immediately brightened.
He quickly stepped forward.
“Welcome, welcome. We’ve already, “
The words stopped midway.
Mu Yu stared at Yin Huaichen in surprise.
“That mask…”
Standing before them was a young Martial Artist dressed in a fitted black and crimson martial outfit.
His high ponytail was tied neatly behind his head, revealing his forehead.
The half mask covered only the lower half of his face, leaving his sharp eyes and brows exposed.
Yin Huaichen’s lips naturally possessed soft, elegant lines.
His cupid’s bow was full and well defined.
His lower lip was slightly rounded.
The corners of his mouth naturally curved upward, giving him an innocent appearance that seemed permanently touched by a smile.
At first glance, he looked exactly like the harmless, pure hearted type.
The sort of person one might compare to a white rabbit.
But now, with the lower half of his face hidden beneath the mask, the softness provided by his smile was gone.
Only his handsome brows and bright eyes remained visible.
The overall impression transformed completely.
He now looked like a carefree young swordsman who had stepped straight out of a martial arts drama.
Free spirited.
Dashing.
Unrestrained.
Yin Huaichen touched the mask.
“Oh. Just bought it.”
Mu Yu looked him over a couple more times.
Then he sincerely praised him.
“Honestly… it looks really good.”
After a pause, he began introducing the party.
“This is Iron Wall City’s Iron Guard, our main tank. Great White Shark.”
Great White Shark nodded.
“Hello. We’ve met before in the desert.”
“This is Fallen Leaf Wushuang, a Soul Contractor from Hundred Ghosts Nightwalk Workshop.”
“This is He Shi Yue Bu Que, a Warlock from Burning Heaven Academy.”
“This is Big Black Shark, a Mechanic from Skyfire Sect.”
“And I’m the Spirit Mechanist.”
Mu Yu pointed to himself.
“My sect is Heavenly Fragrance Pavilion. I’m responsible for healing.”
Yin Huaichen nodded.
“Martial Artist of Azure Abyss Sword Sect.”
“Yin Wuchang.”
“With you included, we now have six people.”
Mu Yu continued.
“That’s basically a standard party composition.”
“I’ll be handling command during the operation.”
“Even though we’re only a temporary team, I still hope you’ll follow instructions during actual combat.”
“If you have any concerns, it’s better to raise them now.”
“I don’t have any issues.”
Yin Huaichen shook his head.
“Good.”
Mu Yu nodded.
“Then let’s head out.”
✦ ✧ ✦
Cresvynia
[Translator]
☕ A LITTLE SOMETHING FOR THE TRANSLATOR
The translator sees your coffee button usage. 👀
☕ BUY THEM A COFFEE →
✧ (づ｡•ㅅ•｡)づ ☕ ✧
✦ thank you for reading ✦
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ChaptersChapter 1 · Remember to keep a positive moodChapter 2 · Have fun playing the gameChapter 3 · Skill completion rateChapter 4 · Strange and malevolent creatures roam outside the cityChapter 5 · 90% complete!Chapter 6 · Serving the sect is my dutyChapter 7 · First meetingChapter 8 · Fang LecangChapter 9 · A prestigious and righteous sect!Chapter 10 · Kill Chi BantuChapter 11 · Spoils of warChapter 12 · We’ve made a fortune!Chapter 13 · Thunder and fire extinguish goldChapter 14 · You found it?Chapter 15 · The so called degree of freedomChapter 16 · The secrets of life and deathChapter 17 · A minor leader of the first rank.Chapter 18 · What kind of luck do you have?Chapter 19 · Let’s Do itChapter 20 · The BOSS escapedChapter 21 · “A wound to the heart is also a wound.”Chapter 22 · Good people are always blessed.Chapter 23 · The Old Man of the Valley of BonesChapter 24 · It’s me, young master!Chapter 25 · Take it slow and steadyChapter 26 · The older they get, the stingier they becomeChapter 27 · You know this person tooChapter 28 · I saw Wei Wanzhou againChapter 29 · You’d better keep having this kind of luckChapter 30 · “Password lock” crackedChapter 31 · We’ve come to punish you!Chapter 32 · A boorish country bumpkin who knows no manners.Chapter 33 · You have crossed the lineChapter 34 · Now that we’re here, do you think we can leave?Chapter 35 · A trivial skillChapter 36 · Actually, I was just kiddingChapter 37 · Upgrade mission complete, rating: SSS!Chapter 38 · AwardChapter 39 · I have always been law-abiding and law-abidingChapter 40 · Are you coming back for dinner tonight?Chapter 41 · Purple Lightning Square Seal.Chapter 42 · A money-grubberChapter 43 · BetChapter 44 · Four Continents Chamber of CommerceChapter 45 · This was my third meeting with Wei WanzhouChapter 46 · Oh, you want to hit on me.Chapter 47 · The angry drizzle has stoppedChapter 48 · Thunder SpearChapter 49 · “Are you a devil?”Chapter 50 · The Impermanent Lord!?Chapter 51 · Loot everywhere..Chapter 52 · His identity remains a mystery.Chapter 53 · Why not show yourself?Chapter 54 · He confronted Li Mingrui.Chapter 55 · Auction